Fewer cargo thefts, bigger losses: risk is concentrating in high-value freight

Incident counts fell, but the bill increased

Verisk CargoNet recorded 547 supply-chain crime incidents in the United States and Canada in Q3 2026, down 33% year over year. Despite the decline, estimated losses reached $230.1 million, up 12%. Through September, incidents fell 25% to 2,072 while losses rose 39% to $718.9 million; among cases with a documented value, the average amount stolen increased about 72% to $448,456. Read the Verisk CargoNet release

Fictitious pickups became a larger share of the problem

Fictitious pickups declined only 6% to 138 cases and grew from 18% to about 25% of reported incidents. A criminal does not need to attack a truck physically when they can imitate a legitimate business, compromise email or phone systems, obtain shipment data and present an apparently consistent identity at the dock.

Million-dollar thefts more than doubled

Nineteen thefts with documented values of at least one million dollars were reported during the quarter, compared with nine a year earlier. Electronics and data-centre materials were among the high-value targets. When a lot disappears or leaves its authorised route, its commercial status should change immediately so it cannot be resold as normal inventory.

Food still leads and requires condition evidence

Food and beverage remained the leading category with 94 incidents, including 21 involving meat; metals accounted for 63 cases, while cosmetics thefts increased from nine to 14. For recovered food cargo, proving origin does not show that temperature, seal integrity and transit time remained within limits. FoodSteps applies traceability, control and corrective action to sensitive supply chains. Visit FoodSteps

Controls for a less frequent but more expensive risk

• Apply dual validation to pickups and destination changes.
• Bind the driver, vehicle, seal and lot to the authorised order.
• Escalate controls for high-value loads and routes.
• Immediately flag stolen, diverted, recovered or quarantined goods.
• Combine provenance with condition data before reintegrating products.