Heading Southbound? Cargo Thefts on the Rise

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – If you head southbound to pickup or deliver some freight, then beware once you have take possession of it because a new report says cargo thefts are increasing.

From April through June in the U.S., cargo thieves stole more than US$19.5 million in freight from the country’s supply chain, according to theft prevention and recovery service CargoNet.

Nationwide, cargo theft increased 8 percent in second-quarter 2015 year-over-year.

The total estimated value of stolen cargo was up US$8 million when compared year-over-year.

The average cargo theft was worth about US$168,308 in stolen goods, but some categories such as electronics were much higher. The median theft was worth US$338,464.

April had the most recorded cargo thefts in the U.S. at 70, then decreasing in May with 67 incidents and 57 in June.

Cargo theft was highest in California, with 36 reported cargo thefts, followed by Texas with 35 thefts and 27 in Florida.

As predicted in the CargoNet first-quarter 2015 report, cargo thefts in New Jersey decreased significantly but thefts in that state are still trending slightly higher than second-quarter 2014.

Twenty-nine percent of cargo thefts recorded this quarter occurred at truck stops and parking lots.

Nine percent of all recorded cargo thefts were classified as fictitious or fraudulent cargo pickups. Two percent of all recorded cargo thefts were violent, either hijackings or armed robberies.

Food and beverage items were the most stolen commodity during the second quarter of 2015. Various kinds of nuts and alcoholic beverages were the most targeted items. Household items were the second most stolen commodity.

Thieves targeted a wider variety of products within this category. Some of the most targeted included major appliances, lawn mowers, and furniture.

Theft of electronics ranked third but was the most expensive category. Televisions were the most stolen electronics item, but cell phones and computers were very close behind. 


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