Cargo theft surged in the second quarter, rising 13% compared to the same period in 2024 and 10% from the first quarter of 2025, according to a report from CargoNet, a Verisk Analytics product.
That increase came as CargoNet recorded 884 supply chain theft events across the United States and Canada, tallying an estimated total loss value exceeded $128 million. The data describes an acceleration in theft activity throughout the quarter, with incidents increasing 14.6% in April, 4.4% in May, and 21.9% in June.
Sorted by category, the most dramatic increase was in the theft of metals, which nearly doubled with a 96% year-over-year surge to 53 incidents. This growth coincides with copper trading near or above record highs, suggesting that organized crime groups strategically adjust their targeting based on commodity market values, CargoNet said.
Food and beverage products also saw substantial growth, with 180 reported incidents representing a 68% increase from Q2 2024. This category now accounts for over 20% of all cargo thefts, with alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, and meat products being primary targets.
“The strategic targeting of specific commodities reveals the business-like approach of modern cargo theft operations,” Keith Lewis, vice president of operations for Verisk CargoNet, said in a release. “These aren’t opportunistic crimes – they’re calculated operations targeting goods with the highest illicit-market value and easiest resale potential.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025, CargoNet warns of an increase in complex cargo theft schemes involving document fraud and identity theft. These sophisticated operations, often perpetrated by international organized crime groups, are evolving rapidly to circumvent industry anti-fraud efforts, the report said.
