Cargo thieves are working smarter as average value per heist doubles
Jersey City-based freight security firm CargoNet recently released its 2025 Third Quarter Supply Chain Risk Trends Analysis, which breaks down cargo theft activity over the previous three months. While the report noted some positive movement in overall cargo theft incidents reported – with theft numbers declining 10% from the previous quarter – the total value of stolen loads surged.
Data from CargoNet shows that the average value per stolen shipment doubled in the third quarter of 2025 to $336,787, up from $168,448 reported during the third quarter of 2024. The company said this was “clear evidence” that crooks have gotten better at selecting high-value targets.
According to CargoNet, much of that increase has been driven by “organized crime groups targeting high-value shipments of enterprise computer hardware, cryptocurrency mining equipment, and copper products.”
It’s not just crooks in the U.S. that truckers need to be concerned with. Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at CargoNet, told Land Line these groups operate worldwide, with his company tracking crime rings to over 40 countries.
“We’re not just looking at a threat within our borders, we’re looking at a global threat,” Lewis said.
