Cargo thieves targeted 605 reported loads across the United States during the second quarter, according to a new report from the cargo-security company Overhaul. The total rose 5% from the first quarter but fell 5% from the same period a year earlier. May accounted for the highest share of quarterly activity at 35%, and California and Texas remained the largest state-level hot spots.

Overhaul recorded an average of roughly 202 incidents per month from April through June — about 6.7 reported cases each day. The figures draw on thefts reported through sources including law enforcement, insurers and transportation security councils. They do not capture every cargo crime, nor do they include standalone thefts of trailers, containers or bobtail tractors, which is one reason reported totals tend to understate the true scale of cargo crime.

California accounted for 34% of the reports, while Texas represented 18%. Tennessee followed with 13%, Pennsylvania had 10%, and Illinois recorded 8%. All five are major freight-corridor states with dense concentrations of warehouses, rail ramps and port traffic, which aligns with the report's finding that theft risk clusters around major freight hubs even as methods and locations vary widely. In California, electronics were the most targeted goods, followed by food and drinks, clothing and shoes, and miscellaneous products. Texas incidents most often involved home and garden products, electronics, and building or industrial materials.

Electronics lead targeted commodities

Electronics represented 23% of all recorded cases during the quarter, the largest commodity share. Miscellaneous cargo ranked next at 20%, and clothing and shoes made up 10%. Together, the three categories accounted for 53% of recorded activity. Within electronics, mixed and miscellaneous shipments led, followed by batteries and panels. High-value, easily resold goods such as electronics consistently draw the most attention in cargo-theft reporting.

Miscellaneous cargo posted the sharpest rise among the larger product groups: reports in that category increased 38% from the first quarter and 84% year over year. Clothing and shoes climbed 25% quarter over quarter and 4% from the same period last year. Building and industrial freight also increased across both comparisons.

Friday accounted for 18% of incidents, the highest share of any day of the week. Activity between midnight and 6 a.m. made up 28% of reports, with the next two six-hour periods each holding similar shares. That timing leaves little room for a delayed response once a shipment stops moving, and it is a key reason security practitioners emphasize verifying the people, equipment and business behind every shipment before freight is released.

Warehouses, truck stops and rail sites draw attention

Pilferage was the most common event type, accounting for 46% of incidents. Full truckload theft followed at 21%, facility theft represented 16%, and deceptive pickup made up 11% of recorded activity. Texas recorded the largest share of full truckload theft reports.

Where the data identified a site, warehouses and distribution centers accounted for 37% of locations. Truck stops and fuel stations followed at 15%, while rail locations represented 11%. California, Tennessee and Texas recorded the most warehouse-related cases, and Illinois, California, Arizona and Tennessee led rail theft reports.

The report identified Southern California as a major concentration point over the past 12 months. The region within 200 miles of Torrance accounted for 37% of recorded U.S. thefts, averaging 81 incidents per month — up 28% from the prior period. Nearly seven in 10 cases in the region occurred within 50 miles of Torrance.

Southern California deceptive pickups rise

Pilferage remained the leading theft method in the Southern California zone, representing 45% of cases. Deceptive pickup rose from 24% to 28% compared with the previous analysis. Warehouse and distribution center locations accounted for 55% of activity in the area, with electronics, clothing and shoes, and food and drinks drawing the most attention from thieves. The rise in deceptive pickups — in which thieves pose as legitimate carriers to obtain freight — underscores why identity and credential verification has become a central focus for shippers and brokers.

Overhaul notes that recent figures can increase after publication because incident information often arrives late, and the company updates earlier totals when comparing current activity with past periods. The report reflects reported cases rather than a complete count of every cargo theft nationwide.

Source: FreightWaves