Cargo theft
Also known as: Freight theft · Theft from interstate shipment · Strategic cargo theft
Stealing goods in transit or in storage along the supply chain — by hijacking, burglary of trailers and yards, or deception such as fictitious pickups — a crime that usually depends on inside information.
At Zarv
67% less cargo theft in the first 6 months after implementation.
Cargo theft is rarely opportunistic. Crews pick the load for its value and how easily it resells, and the information about route, schedule and pickup often comes from inside the operation or from an impersonated carrier. In the US, much of it is not violent at all: a trailer lifted from an unattended yard, or a load handed to a fraudulent carrier with a convincing identity.
Federally, stealing from an interstate or foreign shipment — from a truck, trailer, railcar, warehouse or terminal — is a crime under 18 U.S.C. §659, punishable by up to 10 years when the value exceeds $1,000. That makes the question for shippers and carriers less "is it illegal" than "who did we hand the load to."
Prevention starts before the truck leaves: verifying every driver and carrier — employed, contracted or brokered — against records and known rings removes part of the risk at the source; monitoring during the trip handles the rest, catching route deviations and unplanned stops. Among carriers that use Zarv, cargo theft fell 67% in the first six months, and those who share that data with their insurer pay 15% to 22% less for cargo insurance.
Frequently asked questions
How do you prevent cargo theft?
By verifying carriers and drivers before tender, varying routes and schedules, avoiding unattended stops in the first hours after pickup, monitoring trips with alerts for deviations, and tightly controlling who has access to load and pickup information.
Is cargo theft a federal crime?
Theft from an interstate or foreign shipment is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. section 659, with up to 10 years in prison when the goods are worth more than 1,000 dollars. States also prosecute cargo theft under their own laws.