Cargo Theft Declined in 2017, But Still Remains High

The Supply Chain Intelligence Center of SensiGuard recently released its annual report of cargo thefts in the United States. Data collected by the group shows a 15 percent decrease in the number of cargo thefts in 2017 as compared to 2016.

The report found that cargo thefts in 2017 occurred in over 35 states, but three specific states were hot spots for this type of crime. California, Texas and New Jersey combined accounted for around 55 percent of the total recorded cargo thefts. The state with the highest number of thefts, California, did experience a 13 percent drop compared to 2016. Weekends are also the most popular days for committing cargo thefts.

Shockingly, cargo theft skyrocketed in the state of Tennessee. The state only accounted for 6 percent of all cargo thefts in 2017, but that number is a 73 percent increase from the prior year.

While the group’s statistics are promising, the number of cargo thefts still averages out to about two per day. Despite the decrease in the volume of thefts, the total value of the thefts was actually higher in the year 2017 than 2016.

Law enforcement officials suggest that the decrease in volume but the increase in value suggests that cargo thieves are becoming more sophisticated and advanced in their techniques. Law enforcement reports show a growing trend for these types of criminals to prey on large shipments with high-value merchandise.

While there has been an overall decrease in the volume of cargo thefts throughout the United States, the risk of being targeted for this crime is still high. It’s critical for truckers carrying cargo to protect their property from cargo thieves.

GPS tracking for cargo provides a reliable, cost-effective and optimized solution for truckers. This device can help truckers remotely locate stolen cargo in a matter of minutes. Additionally, it gives managers the ability to know where their cargo is at all times. Managers can utilize geo-fencing to create boundaries that the cargo should stay within. If the cargo ever leaves a specific geographic area, then an alert will immediately be sent to the manager.

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