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Cargo Theft on the Rise

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2013 Cargo Theft Trend Report

Cargo theft is a serious concern in the trucking industry and for Apex Capital clients, as it damages companies and puts truck drivers at risk. It’s important to stay educated when it comes to cargo theft trends, like with the 2013 cargo theft trend report. This helps truckers keep a closer watch, especially if their freight or state route is trending towards higher freight theft.

Due to better organization and innovation by thieves, the number of cargo thefts in 2013 tied 2012’s all time high of 951, according to FreightWatch International. The organization stated that there were 2.6 cargo thefts per day, an average of 79.25 each month. Full-truckload or container thefts made up almost 73% of the total thefts, with pharmaceutical thefts increasing 50% and food/drink loads (excluding alcohol) increasing 34%.

If you are hauling food loads, be on the lookout. These loads tend to be a popular target for freight theft, as they tend to have lower security and can be easier to steal. Since pricier loads, such as electronic loads, are harder to steal, the average value per stolen load fell 2% in 2013 down to $171,000.

Freight loads with electronics have the highest average value per stolen load at $397,000, followed by alcohol/tobacco loads at $280,000, and then clothing/shoes at $272,000 per stolen load.

When do most cargo thefts occur?

In 2013, the most common months for cargo theft were June and September. Nearly half of the thefts occurred on Fridays and Saturdays. If you are hauling in California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, or Illinois, pay extra attention when your truck is stopped, since the most freight theft occurred in these states in 2013.

Apex Capital wants to help protect you from cargo theft. Want to learn how to protect your freight? Check out our tips for avoiding cargo theft and share your tips with us on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google + pages.

See our blogs for tips on how to prevent on cargo theft:

How Truckers Can Avoid Cargo Theft

Cargo At Rest Is In Danger of Theft