Cargo Thefts Declined in Q1 2019
Cargo thefts in the U.S. and Canada declined 22 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2019, according to data from CargoNet.
In the quarter, the company reported 330 supply chain risk intelligence events. Of those, 52 percent involved a stolen vehicle and 42 percent involved stolen cargo. Other events included identity theft, missing drivers, fictitious pickups and other matters.
There were 140 cargo thefts in the U.S and Canada in the first quarter, with an average value of $145,772, for a total loss of $12.8 million.
CargoNet noted that loaded trailer thefts are a growing threat, and in some parts of the country, are preferred over full truckload theft. It also noted a resurgence in fictitious pickups, after two years of dormancy. “We believe these two trends will continue through the rest of the year,” CargoNet said in a press release.
Food and beverages remain the most stolen commodity. Non-alcoholic beverages were the most frequently stolen type. Household goods and electronics were the next most frequently stolen commodities.
California remains the top targeted state, at 32 reported cargo thefts in first-quarter 2019, even though thefts in the state were down nearly 44 percent from first quarter 2018. Florida and Texas were second and third, with 17 cargo thefts in Florida and 16 in Texas. CargoNet said it continues to note a significant increase of cargo thefts in Alabama—due largely to an influx of pilferages in the Selma, Alabama, area.
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