Cargo Theft Statistics
FBI cargo theft data: 272,167 reported incidents from 2012 to 2024. Freight crime is a growing problem that costs businesses billions annually.
Key Insights
- →272,167 cargo theft incidents reported from 2012-2024
- →Incidents have more than tripled from 11,947 (2012) to 41,242 (2024)
- →Industry estimates put annual cargo theft losses at $15-35 billion
- →Recovery rate is only 1102.7% of stolen goods
- →North Carolina leads all states in reported incidents
- →Sophisticated operations now involve fictitious pickups and identity fraud
$83,738,256
Total Stolen Value
$923,371,590
Total Recovered Value
1102.7%
Recovery Rate
The Growing Cargo Theft Problem
Cargo theft — the stealing of freight in transit, at distribution centers, or from truck stops — is one of the fastest-growing property crimes in America. The FBI tracks cargo theft through a dedicated reporting program, capturing incidents from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Reported incidents have more than tripled from 11,947 in 2012 to 41,242 in 2024. The true cost is likely much higher — industry estimates put annual cargo theft losses at $15-35 billion, as many thefts go unreported or are classified under other offense categories.
Cargo theft has evolved from opportunistic trailer break-ins to sophisticated operations involving fictitious pickups, identity fraud, and organized crime rings. The rise of e-commerce has created more targets and more opportunities for theft throughout the supply chain.
Cargo Theft Trend (2012–2024)
Incidents surged from ~12,000 in 2012 to over 41,000 in 2024 — driven by e-commerce growth, expanded reporting, and increasingly sophisticated theft operations.
Top 10 States for Cargo Theft
Where Cargo Gets Stolen — Top Locations
Cargo Theft by State
| # | State | Total Incidents | % of National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina | 38,434 | 14.1% |
| 2 | Ohio | 23,545 | 8.7% |
| 3 | Georgia | 19,279 | 7.1% |
| 4 | Texas | 17,526 | 6.4% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 15,150 | 5.6% |
| 6 | Maryland | 14,874 | 5.5% |
| 7 | Tennessee | 13,717 | 5.0% |
| 8 | Florida | 11,521 | 4.2% |
| 9 | South Carolina | 11,061 | 4.1% |
| 10 | Nevada | 9,191 | 3.4% |
| 11 | Virginia | 8,586 | 3.2% |
| 12 | California | 8,162 | 3.0% |
| 13 | Michigan | 8,032 | 3.0% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 7,641 | 2.8% |
| 15 | Missouri | 7,042 | 2.6% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 6,829 | 2.5% |
| 17 | Washington | 5,651 | 2.1% |
| 18 | Illinois | 5,073 | 1.9% |
| 19 | Alabama | 4,879 | 1.8% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 4,380 | 1.6% |
| 21 | Federal | 3,726 | 1.4% |
| 22 | Colorado | 3,689 | 1.4% |
| 23 | Indiana | 3,001 | 1.1% |
| 24 | Oregon | 2,499 | 0.9% |
| 25 | Mississippi | 2,189 | 0.8% |
| 26 | Arizona | 1,953 | 0.7% |
| 27 | Arkansas | 1,703 | 0.6% |
| 28 | Kentucky | 1,472 | 0.5% |
| 29 | New Jersey | 1,236 | 0.5% |
| 30 | Wisconsin | 1,084 | 0.4% |
By Offense Type
| Offense | Incidents | % |
|---|---|---|
| 999" | 174,971 | 64.3% |
| 23F | 10,717 | 3.9% |
| 23H | 10,668 | 3.9% |
| 000 or over" | 10,525 | 3.9% |
| 220 | 7,285 | 2.7% |
| 000 thru 999 | 7,260 | 2.7% |
| 240 | 5,869 | 2.2% |
| 000 thru 49 | 4,220 | 1.6% |
| "Cities from 500 | 4,201 | 1.5% |
| 000 thru 249 | 3,789 | 1.4% |
Where Cargo Gets Stolen
| Location Type | Incidents | % |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 133,199 | 48.9% |
| Business | 43,294 | 15.9% |
| I | 17,856 | 6.6% |
| 20 | 17,711 | 6.5% |
| 18 | 7,478 | 2.7% |
| Society/Public | 5,781 | 2.1% |
| B | 4,545 | 1.7% |
| 13 | 4,392 | 1.6% |
| M | 2,880 | 1.1% |
| Government/Public Building | 2,841 | 1.0% |
| 25 | 2,373 | 0.9% |
| 05 | 2,280 | 0.8% |
| U | 2,217 | 0.8% |
| Government | 1,866 | 0.7% |
| 07 | 1,284 | 0.5% |
| 23 | 1,205 | 0.4% |
| 24 | 997 | 0.4% |
| 50 | 915 | 0.3% |
| 52 | 849 | 0.3% |
| 08 | 831 | 0.3% |
Source: FBI Cargo Theft program, 2012-2024. Not all agencies report; actual numbers are higher.