Cargo theft losses now attain not less than $1 million yearly for 40% of leaders surveyed by SmartSense. One other 28% report yearly prices exceeding $2 million from stolen freight. The research polled 150 U.S.-based loss prevention and arranged retail crime professionals. Outcomes additionally present rising concern about criminals utilizing coordinated ways towards provide chains.
SmartSense by Digi launched its Cargo Theft Report on Thursday. Coleman Parkes carried out the analysis throughout August 2026. Members represented corporations starting from beneath $10 million to greater than $10 billion in annual income. Their obligations included safety, logistics, threat administration, distribution and arranged retail crime prevention.
The survey discovered 79% really feel extra involved about cargo theft at this time than ever earlier than. One other 81% consider these crimes have develop into more and more organized throughout latest years. 63% report incidents elevated in contrast with final yr. 80% point out theft occasions induced misplaced gross sales inside their organizations.
Fraudulent pickups lead checklist of issues
Prison ways lengthen past bodily stealing a parked trailer, in accordance with the findings. Fraudulent pickups and provider impersonation ranked highest, drawing concern from 78% of individuals. GPS jamming or spoofing adopted at 71%, whereas trailer theft reached 66%. Double brokering registered at 64% amongst these questioned.
Scott Glenn, vp of asset safety at The House Depot, highlighted one other vulnerability surrounding freight motion. He pointed towards data criminals can acquire by means of transportation or logistics techniques. Entry might reveal cargo contents, locations and anticipated arrival occasions. That intelligence might give thieves particulars wanted to pick particular masses.
“Cargo theft is more and more a cybersecurity subject as a lot as it’s a bodily safety subject,” Glenn said. “If criminals acquire entry to transportation or logistics techniques, they will doubtlessly determine what’s being shipped.” He added that compromised data might reveal the place cargo travels and when it ought to arrive. Glenn urged corporations to guard cargo information as significantly because the freight itself.
Corporations enhance prevention spending
The rising risk has additionally influenced safety budgets, in accordance with SmartSense. 70% report their organizations will spend extra on cargo theft prevention this yr. Respondents recognized real-time location visibility amongst capabilities that would make the largest distinction. In addition they highlighted information evaluation for detecting recurring theft patterns and high-risk routes.
Man Yehiav, president of SmartSense by Digi, pointed towards sooner detection as one other part. “The businesses making probably the most progress are shifting from visibility to actionability,” Yehiav said. He cited route deviations and unauthorized stops amongst warning indicators that monitoring can determine. Sooner alerts can provide safety groups extra time to react earlier than a cargo disappears.
The analysis additionally recognized a niche between cargo theft incidents and regulation enforcement involvement. Solely 37% report repeatedly notifying authorities and dealing instantly with investigators. SmartSense notes that unreported crimes might depart present figures under the precise scale. The survey itself doesn’t quantify what number of incidents stay exterior official reporting techniques.
Why it issues
Cargo theft more and more includes id, expertise and transportation techniques alongside bodily safety. Understanding which ways concern loss prevention leaders helps freight professionals determine the place present controls might face strain.
CFCO
For my part, expertise works finest when workers additionally perceive how criminals exploit weak processes. The Licensed Fraud Compliance Officer course teaches structured verification and risk-based decision-making throughout freight transactions. Coaching groups to confirm corporations, folks and cargo particulars might help expose inconsistencies earlier than cargo strikes. No single instrument or course eliminates theft, however repeatable verification can cut back alternatives created by preventable course of gaps.
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