RISING CARGO THEFT
Cargo theft is becoming a significant problem for shippers and carriers across North America, as thieves become more sophisticated and diligent. There were 884 theft incidents in the United States and Canada in the second quarter of 2025, a 13% jump from the same period a year earlier. 1 In Mexico, 65% of thefts occur while shipments are in transit, while 34% happen at unsecured parking locations. 2 “In the past, it may have been more targeted. The goal was always to grab cargo they could sell pretty quickly. Now, it seems a little more random. They’re just grabbing what they can because the number of people stealing and hijacking is going up.” ED HABE Vice President of Mexico Sales for Averitt Experienced cross-border carriers should know how to combat cargo theft effectively and know which areas carry the most risk. For example, Averitt may send trucks out in convoys instead of alone to reduce risk, and also employ armed escorts on high-risk routes.
“Cargo theft has been an ongoing issue in Mexico for many years, but our team has developed a whole playbook to combat the threat. Cargo thieves use jammers, so we have three GPS devices per tractor and one per trailer in different frequencies, making it harder to lose the information. We use AI to tell us if a trailer is being unhooked. It shuts down the engine so you can’t hook up and engages magnetic locks, so they won’t be able to open it. Now, they just look at our trailers and say: ‘It’s too much, let’s go for another company.” HOMERO GONZALEZ General Director at Mexico-based carrier Central de Fletes
1 “2025 Second Quarter Supply Chain Risk Trends Analysis,” CargoNet, https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-q2-theft-trends/ 2 “Mexico Q2-2025 Cargo Theft Report,” Overhaul, https://over-haul.com/mexico-cargo-theft-report/
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