Cargo Thieves Target Containers Rushed Into U.S. Ahead Of Threatened Tariffs

Cargo theft across the U.S. increased in the third quarter, with thieves targeting high-value items and making off with an average value of $155,709 per incident, according to the Beverly, Mass.-based supply chain visibility provider Sensitech Inc.

One main reason for the increase was companies’ rush to import shipments from China before new rounds of White House tariffs take effect, causing a glut of containerized freight—particularly in Southern California—that is stored under the same type of lax security that is typically found in the fourth quarter shipping rush, Sensitech said.

Overall, thefts in the third quarter rose 13% in volume and 31% in value over the second quarter, while posting a rise of 3% in volume and a decrease of 8% in value compared to the same quarter last year, Sensitech said in its "U.S. Q3-2019 Cargo Theft Intelligence Report."

Sensitech based its report on tracking a total of 165 confirmed cargo thefts over the third quarter nationwide, not counting thefts of assets such as trailers and containers, or of last-mile courier parcels.