Cargo theft surges 13% in Q2, organized crime targets high-value freight

Cargo theft incidents in the U.S. and Canada rose 13% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2025, with organized crime groups increasingly targeting high-value commodities, according to a news release from CargoNet, a Verisk Analytics company.

CargoNet recorded 884 supply chain theft events between April and June, marking a 10% increase over the first quarter of 2025. The estimated total loss exceeded $128 million when factoring in average shipment values for cases where specific losses were not reported. The average stolen shipment value reached $203,586.

Data shows theft activity accelerated as the quarter progressed, with incidents rising 14.6% in April, 4.4% in May, and surging 21.9% in June.

Strategic cargo theft

Metals theft experienced the most dramatic increase, nearly doubling with a 96% year-over-year surge to 53 incidents. CargoNet links this spike to copper trading near record highs, suggesting that organized crime groups are adjusting targets based on commodity market demands and conditions.

Food and beverage products also remained a major theft category, with 180 reported incidents — up 68% from Q2 2024. The category now represents over 20% of all cargo thefts. Meat, energy drinks and alcoholic beverages are among the most commonly stolen items.

“The strategic targeting of specific commodities reveals the business-like approach of modern cargo theft operations,” said Keith Lewis, vice-president of operations at CargoNet. “These aren’t opportunistic crimes – they’re calculated operations targeting goods with the highest illicit-market value and easiest resale potential.”

CargoNet also warns that complex theft schemes involving document fraud and identity theft are becoming more prevalent. These crimes are sophisticated, often carried out by international organized crime groups, are evolving quickly to bypass current anti-fraud efforts, the release said.

“Traditional physical security measures alone are no longer sufficient,” Lewis said. “The industry must adopt a multi-layered approach combining physical security, digital verification, and real-time intelligence sharing to combat these evolving threats.”