Although you may not hear much about it on the evening news, according to the FBI, cargo theft is on the rise and the gangs (it’s usually gangs pulling off these heists) are using new techniques to dupe their targets.
Thieves are focusing on riskier but more valuable loads, and they are increasingly focused on full truckloads. Additionally, the thefts are becoming more sophisticated, with gangs — using stolen IDs and fabricated carrier identities — impersonating trucking firms or cargo brokers to get suppliers to part with their products.
Additionally, to thwart any tracking devices on stolen trucks, the thieves will sometimes move the stolen loot to another truck.
The increasingly sophisticated thefts are putting fleet managers and trucking firms in a bind, requiring them to double down on prevention efforts.
The Major Theft Unit in the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division estimates that cargo theft costs U.S. businesses up to $30 billion a year. Such estimates may not present an accurate scope of the problem because businesses are often reluctant to report thefts out of concern for their reputations, or because they fear insurance premiums will increase. Cargo Theft on the Rise