Cargo theft losses now reach at least $1 million annually for 40% of leaders surveyed by SmartSense. Another 28% report yearly costs exceeding $2 million from stolen freight. The study polled 150 U.S.-based loss prevention and organized retail crime professionals. Results also show growing concern about criminals using coordinated tactics against supply chains.
SmartSense by Digi released its Cargo Theft Report on Thursday. Coleman Parkes conducted the research during August 2026. Participants represented companies ranging from under $10 million to more than $10 billion in annual revenue. Their responsibilities included security, logistics, risk management, distribution and organized retail crime prevention.
The survey found 79% feel more concerned about cargo theft today than ever before. Another 81% believe these crimes have become increasingly organized during recent years. 63% report incidents increased compared with last year. 80% indicate theft events caused lost sales within their organizations.
Fraudulent pickups lead list of concerns
Criminal tactics extend beyond physically stealing a parked trailer, according to the findings. Fraudulent pickups and carrier impersonation ranked highest, drawing concern from 78% of participants. GPS jamming or spoofing followed at 71%, while trailer theft reached 66%. Double brokering registered at 64% among those questioned.
Scott Glenn, vice president of asset protection at The Home Depot, highlighted another vulnerability surrounding freight movement. He pointed toward information criminals can obtain through transportation or logistics systems. Access could reveal shipment contents, destinations and expected arrival times. That intelligence could give thieves details needed to select specific loads.
“Cargo theft is increasingly a cybersecurity issue as much as it is a physical security issue,” Glenn stated. “If criminals gain access to transportation or logistics systems, they can potentially identify what is being shipped.” He added that compromised information could reveal where cargo travels and when it should arrive. Glenn urged companies to protect shipment data as seriously as the freight itself.
Companies increase prevention spending
The growing threat has also influenced security budgets, according to SmartSense. 70% report their organizations will spend more on cargo theft prevention this year. Respondents identified real-time location visibility among capabilities that could make the biggest difference. They also highlighted data analysis for detecting recurring theft patterns and high-risk routes.
Guy Yehiav, president of SmartSense by Digi, pointed toward faster detection as another component. “The companies making the most progress are moving from visibility to actionability,” Yehiav stated. He cited route deviations and unauthorized stops among warning signs that monitoring can identify. Faster alerts can give security teams additional time to react before a shipment disappears.
The research also identified a gap between cargo theft incidents and law enforcement involvement. Only 37% report regularly notifying authorities and working directly with investigators. SmartSense notes that unreported crimes could leave existing figures below the actual scale. The survey itself does not quantify how many incidents remain outside official reporting systems.
Why it matters
Cargo theft increasingly involves identity, technology and transportation systems alongside physical security. Understanding which tactics concern loss prevention leaders helps freight professionals identify where existing controls may face pressure.
CFCO
In my opinion, technology works best when employees also understand how criminals exploit weak processes. The Certified Fraud Compliance Officer course teaches structured verification and risk-based decision-making across freight transactions. Training teams to verify companies, people and shipment details can help expose inconsistencies before cargo moves. No single tool or course eliminates theft, but repeatable verification can reduce opportunities created by preventable process gaps.
Click here for more articles on cargo theft and freight fraud by Phil Brink.
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