Cargo security provider Overhaul is warning shippers about a suspected new cargo theft tactic in which criminals deliberately separate escort vehicles from the shipments they are protecting.

The company issued the alert after a recent theft involving a high-value shipment of AI hardware in California’s Bay Area.

According to Overhaul, the shipment was traveling under escort when the escort vehicle was involved in a rear-end collision and forced to stop. The transport vehicle continued its journey without the escort, and repeated attempts by escort personnel to re-establish contact were unsuccessful.

The shipment was later stolen and the driver could not be located.

While investigators have not confirmed a direct connection between the collision and the theft, Overhaul said it believes the crash may have been orchestrated to separate the escort vehicle from the shipment and create an opportunity for the theft.

The incident suggests organized cargo thieves may be evolving their tactics to target escort operations themselves rather than solely focusing on the freight being moved.

“Escort disruption should be treated as a potential precursor event and an elevated security concern, rather than solely as an operational issue,” the company warned.

Overhaul said carriers and shippers using escort services should establish clear procedures for situations in which escort and transport vehicles become separated. The company also recommends incorporating covert tracking and monitoring technologies as part of a layered security strategy.

The warning comes amid continued concern over increasingly sophisticated cargo theft operations targeting high-value goods, particularly electronics and technology products. Industry security experts have noted a rise in strategic thefts involving identity fraud, fictitious pickups and other schemes designed to bypass traditional security measures.

Overhaul urged shippers to thoroughly vet brokers and carriers, verify the identities of drivers and equipment arriving to collect freight, and document tractors, trailers and drivers before cargo is released.

The company also emphasized the importance of real-time shipment visibility, remote compliance monitoring and rapid escalation procedures that enable law enforcement to respond quickly when a theft is suspected.