The Rise of Cargo Thefts: How to Protect Your Shipments

Summary

• Cargo theft hit record highs in 2024, with over 3,600 incidents and more than $450 million in losses.
• Theft often happens in gray areas like truck stops and yards—places where traditional security falls short.
• Mobile surveillance solutions from LVT offer flexible, infrastructure-free protection wherever your freight is most vulnerable.
• A strong freight security strategy layers surveillance with tracking, team training, and data to stay one step ahead of organized crime.

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As someone who regularly drags themselves to their treadmill for a run they don’t particularly enjoy, I’ve come to believe the key to doing hard things is taking it one step at a time. A six-mile run feels impossible when I think about the whole thing. But if I mentally break it down—into miles, into minutes, into steps—I can get through it. What felt overwhelming at the start begins to feel manageable.

The same can be said of supply chain security. Freight theft is a daunting challenge. Cargo theft rates are rising fast, and criminals are getting smarter and more creative. But like a difficult run, keeping cargo safe is possible. You just need to understand your route, make a plan, and stick to it. 

In this article, we’ll break down the growing threat of cargo theft and walk through the steps you can take to protect your freight from warehouse to final delivery. 

Cargo Theft Hit Record Highs in 2024

In 2024, cargo theft in the United States surged to record-breaking levels. According to Verisk:

• Reported cargo theft incidents rose 27% from the previous year, with over 3,600 recorded cases
• The total loss value was more than $450 million
• The most targeted location types were warehouses, distribution centers, and truck stops
• Food and beverage, along with household goods, were the most stolen commodities

Data from Overhaul paints a picture of the frequency of these events:

• The U.S. experienced an average of 184.8 reported cargo thefts per month
• That translates to 6.07 thefts per day, up sharply from 4.06 per day in 2023

These numbers are further compounded by trends in organized crime. The Association of American Railroads reported a 40% increase in organized criminal groups targeting freight moves last year.

Freight Security Can’t Be an Afterthought

If you're moving anything of value across the country, freight security needs to be top of mind. The stakes are too high. Delayed deliveries, customer dissatisfaction, and financial losses from theft can permanently damage your operations and reputation. 

So what’s the solution?

Throwing more guards at the problem or installing a few extra cameras at your warehouse gate probably isn’t going to cut it in this environment. Let’s break it down step by step. 

Step One: Rethink Your Vulnerabilities

Cargo isn’t only at risk during transit. Theft often occurs during handoffs, or when freight is waiting in a yard, parked at a truck stop, or staged for pickup at a distribution center. 

Many companies focus heavily on protecting their warehouse interiors but overlook the last-mile lot or transfer site that’s unmanned after hours. When visibility is inconsistent and response time is slow, you create the kind of opportunity bad actors are looking for.

And with today's theft tactics (from GPS jammers to falsified bills of lading, carrier impersonation, and beyond) it's not just about securing the perimeter. It's about gaining real-time awareness of what’s happening across your freight network.

Step Two: Layer Your Defenses

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to security, but if there’s one thing that’s consistently true, it’s that static solutions usually aren’t enough. Instead of relying on systems that can’t adapt to evolving security needs, many teams are turning to mobile surveillance. 

LVT’s mobile surveillance units allow you to monitor vulnerable points in your supply chain without being locked into expensive infrastructure. They are solar-powered and wireless, making them deployable in locations where traditional systems won’t work or access to the grid is unreliable.  The units include:

• Adjustable PTZ cameras to capture footage of key hotspots
• Intrusion detection and night vision to spot suspicious activity in real time
• Instant alerting capabilities, so you’re notified the moment something’s wrong
• Loudspeakers to deter threats and communicate directly with individuals on-site

But remember: surveillance alone won’t solve the problem. It’s one layer (albeit an important one) that works best as part of a broader strategy. When paired with GPS telematics, load-tracking technology, and identity verification tools, these systems give you a more comprehensive view of what’s happening at every point in your supply chain. And when something does go wrong, your team is better equipped to respond quickly and decisively.

Step Three: Train Your People

Even with the most advanced security tools in your security toolkit, human oversight is important. Every employee who touches your supply chain—drivers, dock workers, warehouse managers—needs to understand how to prevent theft, spot red flags, and escalate quickly. Be sure to train staff on:

• Proper documentation verification procedures
• How to identify and report suspicious behavior
• Chain-of-custody protocols, especially for high-value or time-sensitive loads

It’s also important to standardize these procedures across third-party carriers and contracted partners. Your security is only as strong as the weakest link in your chain.

Step Four: Use Data to Stay Ahead

With the right security analytics, you can identify where your shipments are most at risk, when thefts are most likely to occur, and how to adjust routes or schedules to mitigate those risks.

The LVT® Platform provides archived events and data from all of your LVT® Units. Over time, that data helps security teams uncover patterns. Are theft attempts increasing in a particular yard? Are certain days or time windows consistently more vulnerable? This proactive surveillance analysis allows you to move from putting out fires to preventing them entirely.

Security Is Not A Sprint—Strategize With LVT

Cargo theft isn’t just a risk to inventory. It’s a risk to operations, reputation, and bottom-line performance. Our solutions help logistics teams close the gaps, protect their cargo, and keep shipments moving safely from warehouse to destination. In a landscape where organized theft is evolving by the day, the only thing that works is staying one step ahead.

Get a demo today to see how LVT can help take your freight security strategy to the next level.