Cargo Thefts Continue to Trend Up -
$19.5M Stolen in Q2 - Up 8%
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - From April through June, cargo thieves stole more than
$19.5 million in cargo from the country's supply chain. Nationwide, cargo
theft increased 8 percent in second-quarter 2015 year-over-year. The total
estimated value of stolen cargo was up $8 million when compared year-over-year.
April had the most recorded cargo thefts in the United States (70). Cargo theft
gradually decreased in May (67) and again in June (57).
Cargo theft was highest in California, with 36 reported cargo thefts,
followed by Texas (35) and Florida (27). As predicted in the CargoNet
first-quarter 2015 report, cargo thefts in New Jersey decreased significantly
(55% from first-quarter 2015), but thefts in that state are still trending
slightly higher than second-quarter 2014.
Twenty-nine percent of cargo thefts recorded this quarter occurred at truck
stops and parking lots. Nine percent of all recorded cargo thefts were
classified as fictitious or fraudulent cargo pickups. Two percent of all
recorded cargo thefts were violent, either hijackings or armed robberies.
Food and beverage items were the most stolen commodity of second-quarter
2015. Various kinds of nuts and alcoholic beverages were the most targeted
items. Household items were the second most stolen commodity. Thieves targeted a
wider variety of products within this category. Some of the most targeted
included major appliances, lawn mowers, and furniture. Theft of electronics
ranked third but was the most expensive category ($7.9 million). Televisions
were the most stolen electronics item, but cell phones and computers were very
close behind. The average cargo theft was worth about $168,308 in stolen
goods, but some categories such as electronics were much higher. The median
theft was worth $338,464.
CargoNet is a division of Verisk Crime Analytics, a Verisk Analytics (Nasdaq:VRSK)
business.
For more information, contact:
Giuseppe Barone/Colleen Finley
MWW Group (for CargoNet) 201-507-9500
gbarone@mww.com
cfinley@mww.com
