The short answer: the most common cargo theft isn't a stolen truck or a fake pickup. It's pilferage, where thieves get into a parked trailer or container and take part of what's inside. In the second quarter of 2026 it was 46% of incidents. So prevention comes down to four things. Secure the doors on anything that's parked. Don't leave loaded trailers sitting unattended. Verify every carrier and every pickup. And keep drivers moving for the first few hours after pickup.
What kinds of cargo theft are there?#
Overhaul, which tracks reported thefts, broke down the second quarter of 2026 this way:
| Type | Share | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Pilferage | 46% | Thieves take part of a load instead of the whole trailer. |
| Full truckload theft | 21% | The whole trailer or load is stolen. |
| Facility theft | 16% | Theft from a warehouse, yard or distribution center. |
| Deceptive pickup | 11% | A thief poses as a real carrier and drives away with a load that was handed over willingly. |
Source: Overhaul Q2 2026, via FreightWaves
Most of the industry's attention goes to fraud and full truckload theft. Those two get the headlines. Pilferage is the bigger share, and it gets far less attention.
How bad is cargo theft right now?#
Worse than it's ever been in dollar terms. Verisk CargoNet recorded 2,646 confirmed cargo thefts in the U.S. and Canada in 2025, up 18% from 2024. Estimated losses rose 60% to about $725 million, and the average theft was worth $273,990.
2026 has a strange pattern. In the second quarter, CargoNet counted 677 incidents, 26% fewer than the same quarter last year. But losses more than doubled, from $135.7 million to $304.6 million. Fewer thefts, bigger targets. Copper and other metals, enterprise computer equipment and crypto mining hardware are what organized groups are going after.
Full numbers by year, type, location and state are on our cargo theft statistics page.
Where does cargo theft happen?#
Where freight waits. In Q2 2026, Overhaul found warehouses and distribution centers were 37% of theft locations, truck stops and fuel stations 15%, and rail locations 11%. Add drop yards, customer lots and a driver's home over the weekend, and the picture is simple: a parked trailer is an exposed trailer.
By state, California and Texas are far ahead of everyone else. In 2025 California had 38% of U.S. cargo thefts and Texas had 20%, together more than half. In Q2 2026 the region within 200 miles of Torrance, California, accounted for 37% of recorded U.S. thefts, and Texas had 18% of national reports and the largest share of full truckload theft.
We're based in South Texas, on the border, so this isn't abstract for us.
How do you stop pilferage?#
Pilferage happens at the door of a trailer or container that nobody is watching. So the fix is at the door and in the yard.
Yards should be fenced, lit and watched by cameras someone actually monitors. Loaded trailers shouldn't sit over long weekends if it can be avoided. CargoNet puts out holiday theft warnings every year for exactly this reason. King pin locks and gladhand locks keep a thief from hooking up and pulling the trailer away.
Then the doors. Padlocks and bolt seals hang on the outside, where anyone with a cutter can reach them, and a seal is built to be cut anyway. It shows you something happened. It doesn't stop it. An exterior lock also advertises that the container or trailer is carrying something worth protecting. An internal lock takes the target away. We go deeper on this in How to Prevent Cargo Theft from Shipping Containers and reusable locks vs bolt seals.
What is a deceptive pickup, and how do you stop one?#
A deceptive (or fictitious) pickup is when a thief poses as a real carrier, gets a load tendered to them, and drives away with it. Nobody breaks anything. The shipper hands over the freight.
Overhaul reported these grew 35% in 2025 and were about 10% of all cargo theft events. In Q2 2026 they were 11%, and CargoNet logged 158 of them. The usual way in is a hacked or spoofed email account. Once a thief is inside a broker's or carrier's email, they can see the load details and change the pickup information.
What actually stops them:
- Call the carrier back on a phone number you already had on file, not one from the email.
- Check the MC and DOT numbers in the FMCSA system and look for recent changes to phone, email or address.
- Match the driver, truck and plate at the dock to what was booked. If anything changed at the last minute, stop and verify.
- Treat any email asking to change pickup details or payment info as suspect until confirmed by phone.
How should drivers handle stops?#
Thieves sometimes watch a shipper's gate and follow a loaded truck to its first stop. That's why a lot of carriers tell drivers to leave with full fuel, rest before pickup, and run the first few hours without stopping.
When they do have to stop, use a busy, lit, secured lot over an empty shoulder. Park so the trailer doors are backed against a wall or another trailer. Don't post load details or routes on social media, and don't talk about the cargo at the truck stop. It sounds obvious. It's also how a lot of loads get picked out.
Is GPS tracking enough?#
No. Tracking is worth having, and it helps with recovery. But it tells you where the load went after it was taken, and it doesn't tell you someone opened the back door and walked off with a few pallets. Pair it with something that keeps the doors shut in the first place.
A quick checklist#
For shippers and brokers: verify every carrier by phone on a known number, confirm driver and equipment at the dock, lock down email with two factor login, and flag any last minute change.
For carriers and fleets: don't leave loaded trailers unattended over weekends, use secured lots, keep drivers moving after pickup, lock the king pin and gladhands on parked trailers, and secure the doors with something that isn't hanging on the outside.
Frequently asked questions#
What's the most common type of cargo theft?
Pilferage, at 46% of incidents in Q2 2026 (Overhaul). Full truckload theft was 21%, facility theft 16% and deceptive pickup 11%.
What's the most stolen type of cargo?
By count, food and beverage. CargoNet recorded 708 food and beverage thefts in 2025, up 47%. By value, metals like copper and high end electronics are what's driving losses up.
Which state has the most cargo theft?
California, then Texas. Together they were 58% of U.S. cargo thefts in 2025 (Overhaul).
Does cargo insurance cover theft?
Usually, but read your policy. Many have exclusions for unattended vehicles or unsecured lots, which is where most theft happens.
How does VaultX fit in?
VaultX is a patent-approved internal locking system for shipping containers and 53 ft van trailers. It mounts inside and locks the doors from within, controlled by remote or Bluetooth app, so there's no lock on the outside to cut, pick or pry. It installs in under five minutes and is reusable every trip. To date, no VaultX lock has been defeated or broken into. If you want to see it on your equipment, schedule a demo.
Sources#
- Overhaul Q2 2026 report, via FreightWavesPublished Aug 28, 2026 · last checked
- Overhaul 2025 report, via FreightWavesPublished Feb 18, 2026 · last checked
- Verisk CargoNet, 2025 theft trendsPublished January 2026 · last checked
- Verisk CargoNet Q2 2026 report, via Insurance JournalPublished Aug 14, 2026 · last checked