Are your parts and materials deliveries being delayed? One reason for this could be that cargo theft is trending up.
CargoNet predicted that cargo thefts in the U.S. would surpass 120 incidents in the first quarter of 2015. Preliminary statistics show this record was met and exceeded.
So far, CargoNet has recorded 194 cargo thefts in first-quarter 2015, up 7 percent compared with first-quarter 2014, and this number is expected to rise because of delayed reporting.
More than $23 million in cargo was stolen in first-quarter 2015, $14 million more than in first-quarter 2014. The average loss value also increased $83,329 per theft.
CargoNet (www.cargonet.com) helps to prevent cargo theft and increase recovery rates through secure and controlled information sharing among theft victims, their business partners and law enforcement.
Some particulars
California reported the most cargo theft losses (30) in first-quarter 2015, according to CargoNet. Texas followed closely with 27. Georgia (24), New Jersey (24) and Florida (20) rounded out the top five states with the most cargo thefts.
Texas and several other states have pending cargo theft legislation that, if passed, CargoNet expects will make cargo theft a less appealing crime in those states.
Warehouses and distribution centers continued to be the most common theft locations, with 23 percent of cargo thefts occurring there. Cargo theft was also common at truck stops (16 percent), parking lots (10 percent) and unsecured yards (10 percent).
Thirty-three percent of cargo thefts were of food and beverages, but electronics was the most costly category in first-quarter 2015 at $8.19 million, despite being only 13 percent of losses.
Fictitious pickups were 12 percent of all cargo theft losses this quarter. Seventy-nine percent of fictitious pickup losses in first-quarter 2015 occurred in the eastern half of the U.S. Fifty percent of fictitious pickup losses occurred on Thursdays; 30 percent occurred on Fridays.
