Cargo Theft — A Growing & Expensive Problem

Cargo thefts rose significantly in 2025. Verisk CargoNet said theft losses rose while the overall number of thefts remained close to the same as 2024. Organized criminal groups are now targeting items of higher value and have moved to new geographic targets.

Here are some statistics:

• 3,594 thefts were reported
• Estimated total loss value: $724,978,757

The top target states account for 51.9% of all theft losses in 2025. The PIA Western Alliance state of California is the top loss state followed by Texas at 2 and Illinois at 3.

The top targets are warehouses, distribution centers and truck stops.

Food and beverages and household goods are the items most targeted.

Digging into the report’s details, the 3,594 thefts in 2025 is very close to the 3,607 in 2024. However, CargoNet said the $724,978,757 in loses is a 60% rise of the value of losses in 2024. That’s a staggering statistic. The average value of thefts jumped 36% to $273,990 per incident. That’s up from the $202,364 in 2024. 

The loss increase is due to thieves targeting higher value items that bring in a greater return for the risk.

California’s incidents numbered 1,218. The where of the incidents is what is most notable. CargoNet points to an 11% drop in thefts in Los Angeles County and an increase in other counties. Kern County California saw an 82% rise in cargo thefts. San Joaquin County’s thefts rose 44%.

Here are details on what’s being stolen. Food and beverage products had 708 incidents in 2025. That’s a 47% rise over 2024. Meat, seafood and nuts are the most targeted.

The theft of metal jumped 77% year-to-year. The demand for copper drove the increase. Auto-related items like tires, parts for auto repair, motor oil and engines remained a high-priority for the thieves.

Verisk CargoNet vice president of operations, Keith Lewis said surprisingly, TVs, and personal computer thefts dropped.

“Criminal enterprises are becoming more selective and sophisticated, targeting extremely high-value shipments rather than relying on opportunistic theft,” Lewis said. “This strategic shift explains how losses can rise 60% even as overall incident volume holds steady.”

Look for an increase of high-value goods being targeted by thieves in 2026.

Source link: Fleet Equipment — https://bit.ly/3M1UZIr