Cargo Theft Statistics & Trends Must Know in 2024
Cargo theft is a major headache for businesses across industries and regions that impacts supply chains and leads to substantial financial losses.
With that in mind, we’ll cover some crucial cargo theft statistics to help you understand the scope and implications of this persistent issue.
Cargo Theft Statistics: Key Numbers
- 46% increase in cargo thefts during the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
- The average value of cargo stolen in a single event was $214,104.
- Each month, an average of 63 cargo thefts occur.
- Cargo theft is estimated to cost the U.S. $15-30 billion a year.
- 26% of cargo theft occurred at cargo facilities.
Sources: (CNBC, Gomotive, Property Casualty360, Freightwaves, FBI, ttclub, CargoNet)
Cargo Theft Statistics 2023
The U.S. is facing a serious surge in cargo theft this year impacting businesses everywhere. Check out these key stats to see just how serious it’s got in 2023:
- In 2023, cargo worth $694 million was stolen in the United States.
- 1,183 cargo thefts have been documented in 2023.
- The average loss per CARGO theft incident is $586,917.
- Cargo thefts increased 68% year over year (y/y) in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to 2022.
- About 100 cargo theft incidents have been reported each month in 2023.
- Cargo theft and fraud rose 41% in the first 20 weeks of 2023 over last year.
- California led the way in 2022, with 417 reported cargo thefts, a 41% increase year over year. Florida had 153, while Texas had 223.
Source: (CargoNet)
Cargo Theft Trends by Day and Hour
According to Q2-2023, cargo theft rates are higher on certain days and times. Let’s explore when these incidents happen most frequently:
- Thursdays and Fridays account for 40% of cargo theft incidents.
- Fridays have the highest theft rate at 23%.
- Thursdays account for 17% of cargo thefts.
- Sundays have the lowest theft rate at 8%.
- 26% of thefts occur between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m..
- 30% of thefts happen between 6 p.m. and 12 a.m..
- Theft events between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. increased to 26% in Q2-2023.
Source: Overhaul Cargo Theft Report
Top Commodities Stolen in Cargo Theft Statistics
Cargo theft targets a wide range of goods from food items to construction materials. Here are the top commodities most frequently stolen:
- 31% of stolen cargo consists of food and beverage items.
- 10% of stolen cargo comprises consumer products.
- 9% of stolen cargo includes electronics.
- 8% of stolen cargo is alcohol and tobacco.
- 7% of stolen cargo is fuel.
- 5% of stolen cargo consists of construction materials.
- 30% of stolen cargo includes other major commodities.
Source: (TTV, BSI)
Breakdown of Cargo Theft Types in 2023
Cargo theft happens in many ways from hijacking to insider jobs affecting different parts of the supply chain. Here’s a breakdown of the different types businesses deal with:
- 11% of cargo thefts are due to hijacking.
- 20% of cargo thefts occur at facilities.
- 14% of cargo thefts involve theft of vehicles.
- 11% of cargo thefts occur from vehicles.
- 13% of cargo thefts involve theft from containers/trailers.
- 8% of cargo theft is attributable to employees/truck parts.
- 11% of cargo theft involves theft of containers/trailer.
- 12% of cargo thefts fall under other types.
Source: (TTV, BSI)
Cargo Theft Hotspots: Key Locations Revealed
Most cargo thefts take place while goods are in transit or at rest areas. Let’s look at the main hotspots for cargo theft incidents:
- In-transit: 37%
- Other: 21%
- Rest area: 16%
- Warehouse: 14%
- Unsecured parking: 7%
- Freight Facility: 5%
Source: BSI & TT Club Cargo Theft Report 2020
Number of Cargo theft reports by state (Numbers)
Some states face more cargo theft incidents than others reflecting regional security challenges. Let’s see how each state fares: