United States Cargo Theft Up 40% Amid Hijackings, Fraud

Industry security databases recorded approximately 65,000 theft events in 2024

Tank Transport reported that the dramatic rise in cargo theft across the United States has become both an economic threat and a national security concern. Annual losses are now estimated at $35 billion, a staggering 1,500% increase since 2021. The urgency for action is clear: in 2024 alone, security databases recorded nearly 65,000 theft incidents, marking a 40% increase compared to the previous year.

The cargo theft has evolved into a highly organized and diversified threat with an average loss exceeding $230,000 per incident. Criminal operations now range from aggressive trailer hijackings along major corridors like Interstate to advanced digital schemes that reroute entire rail containers through online impersonation. While high-value targets such as food, beverages, electronics, and construction materials remain the most frequently stolen, nearly every commodity in the supply chain is now exposed to significant risk.

According to the report, Cargo theft has become increasingly complex, driven by digital deception, forged credentials, and coordinated criminal networks. Opportunistic theft tactics of the past have given way to sophisticated, data-driven operations that exploit systemic weaknesses across the supply chain.

America’s Cargo Theft Outpaces Tactics in Africa’s Leading Economies

While cargo theft is a global issue, the scale and sophistication of operations in the United States now surpass those seen in many of Africa’s most advanced economies. In countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, incidents typically involve direct highway hijackings or localized fraud rings. By contrast, the United States is experiencing a wave of highly coordinated, tech-enabled schemes that exploit both digital systems and regulatory loopholes.

Criminal networks use double brokering scams, leveraging stolen or falsified transportation credentials to reroute loads and steal either the cargo or the payment. In business email compromise schemes, threat actors infiltrate ongoing logistics emails and subtly alter routing instructions to divert freight to unauthorized facilities. Fraudulent carriers, armed with cloned identities and forged paperwork, arrive at docks posing as legitimate haulers and disappear with high-value goods. Along key rail corridors in the Southwest, coordinated crews disable train brakes and loot containers mid-transit, communicating via encrypted radios.

These methods are thriving in part due to regulatory blind spots that make it far too easy to enter the freight system undetected. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) relies heavily on self-reported data when onboarding new carriers, with minimal upfront identity verification. As a result, bad actors can dissolve and reincorporate under new limited liability companies (LLCs) for just a few hundred dollars, cycling through identities with little oversight and evading enforcement time and again.

Further empowering these operations are encrypted messaging platforms like Telegram, where cybercriminals now offer black-market tools: stolen driver logins, GPS spoofing apps, and up-to-date databases of vulnerable warehouses. The scale, speed, and digital reach of these tactics place the cargo theft landscape far ahead of what’s typically seen in emerging markets.

The Government Responds Firmly to Escalating Crisis

In response to the growing crisis, U.S. lawmakers are taking firm steps through a series of cross-party proposals aimed at closing legal loopholes, modernizing enforcement, and strengthening penalties.

Among the key measures being considered is the creation of a Federal Supply Chain Crime Coordination Centre, a central agency that would unite efforts from major law enforcement bodies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, and the Department of Transportation, to better coordinate investigations and share intelligence.

Lawmakers also propose classifying organized cargo theft involving more than $100,000 as a serious federal offense, carrying strict minimum prison terms. Another key reform would allow authorities to combine theft cases across different states into a single prosecution, making it easier to target large, organized criminal networks operating nationally.

Already, two widely supported bills are advancing through Congress: the Household Goods Shipping Consumer Protection Act, which would restore fraud enforcement powers to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, aimed at expanding funding for inter-agency data sharing and coordination in the fight against cargo theft.

How U.S. Companies Are Taking Action Against Cargo Theft – Lessons for Africa’s Supply Chain

As cargo theft becomes more advanced in the United States, many large companies are no longer waiting for government regulations, they’re investing in their own security solutions. These private-sector strategies offer useful lessons for African logistics and supply chain operators facing similar risks.

Academy Sports + Outdoors, a major U.S. retailer, now places smart tracking devices inside selected goods. These devices send alerts within 30 seconds if a truck moves outside its planned delivery route. This early warning system allows their security teams to respond quickly before the cargo disappears.

Tanager Logistics experienced a major loss when criminals pretending to be legitimate drivers stole a full truckload of energy drinks worth over $100,000. In response, the company adopted blockchain-based record keeping, which makes it much harder for fake carriers to tamper with delivery handovers.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which supports small transporters, has built a public database to report and track transport-related fraud. They are also promoting the use of electronic document verification, so owner-operators can take legal action more quickly without needing to visit government offices in person.

Meanwhile, BNSF Railway, one of the largest rail companies is using drones and video surveillance powered by artificial intelligence to monitor remote rail routes 24/7 and spot unauthorized access.

Insurance companies are also playing a role by rewarding good security practices. Fleets that use smart locks, which are hard to break or tamper with, can now get up to 15% off their insurance premiums.

These examples show how companies can take the lead in protecting cargo through smart technology, digital tools, and better coordination. As similar challenges emerge across Africa, especially in high-theft corridors and ports, these strategies offer valuable ideas that can be adapted to local conditions.