Q3 cargo thefts decline, security firm says
Reported cases of cargo thefts declined to 145 in the third quarter from 203 in the previous period, according to Lo Jack Supply Chain Integrity.
The company operates the Supply Chain Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC), which compiles data from subscriber members under an arrangement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Seven of the theft cases were attributed to fraud.
There were 16 thefts reported at warehouses or loading docks, up from 11 incidents for both the first and second quarters, the security firm said.
Carrier compounds had the highest number of reported thefts with 38.
Building supplies were targeted 18 times during the third quarter, one ahead of consumer electronics as the commodity group stolen from the most.
Dollar losses for the quarter totaled $14.5 million based on 55 thefts in which information was available. The value of lost cargo and vehicles averaged $100,000 per load, but Lo Jack acknowledged that information provided is incomplete and doesn't capture the true cost to carriers and shippers.
There were 39 recoveries of stolen trucks, including 12 with cargo, during the third quarter.
The theft figures do not capture total theft activity across the United States because victim reporting is sporadic and there is no centralized law enforcement or private sector database, but LoJack said the numbers are representative of overall trends.
'Thieves are becoming more strategic in choosing targets, are able to deploy a variety of resources (including equipment and personnel), and have expanded their tactics in order to successfully steal the types of products they desire,' the ISAC report said. 'Over the past two quarters, we have seen cargo thieves directly take the fight to the carrier's home turf, regardless of employed physical deterrence measures such as fencing, alarms and closed-circuit TV. Increasingly, tractors and empty trailers are being stolen around the country to be used in later cargo theft incidents. As cargo theft rings look for and seize upon operational or security vulnerabilities, we have seen an increase in the number of brokered loads that have been reported stolen after being picked up by individuals presenting both personal and business counterfeit documents which initially passed inspection.'
Thieves tend to steal tractors and empty trailers so that they can swap cargo from a stolen vehicle to avoid detection.
To read more about cargo theft trends in the United States, read 'Ripped off' (May American Shipper, page 48).