Reported cargo theft increased during the second quarter of 2026, with criminals targeting an average of nearly seven shipments every day across the United States.
Supply-chain security company Overhaul recorded 605 cargo-theft incidents between April and June, representing a 5% increase from the first quarter of 2026.
The quarterly figure was still 5% lower than the same period last year. However, Overhaul warned the decline shouldn’t be interpreted as a meaningful reduction in the overall threat facing carriers, drivers and shippers.
An average of approximately 202 incidents were reported each month, or about 6.7 thefts every day.
May accounted for the largest share of the quarter’s activity at 35%, followed by April at 34% and June at 31%.
California Remains the Center of Cargo Theft
California accounted for 34% of all reported cargo-theft incidents during the quarter.
Texas ranked second with 18%, followed by Tennessee at 13%, Pennsylvania at 10% and Illinois at 8%.
Illinois’ share doubled compared with the same period last year, when the state accounted for approximately 4% of reported incidents.
The southwest region, which includes Southern California, was responsible for 38% of reported cargo thefts. A southeastern region containing freight hubs such as Dallas and Memphis accounted for another 35%.
Together, those two southern regions made up nearly three-fourths of the cargo theft reported across the country.
Southern California’s 200-Mile Red Zone
Overhaul identified the first 200 miles traveled by shipments leaving Southern California as an especially dangerous area.
During the 12-month period ending in June, the Southern California “Red Zone” accounted for 38% of all reported cargo thefts in the United States.
The region averaged 81 incidents every month, or roughly 2.6 thefts per day. That was a 28% increase in monthly incidents compared with the previous period analyzed by Overhaul.
The first 50 miles of a shipments journey proved to be the most dangerous. Approximately 68% of Red Zone incidents happened within that distance.
Criminals will sometimes follow tractor-trailers leaving warehouses or distribution centers, waiting for the driver to stop before accessing the cargo. Other operations rely on stolen identities, fraudulent paperwork or deceptive pickups that make the thief appear to be a legitimate carrier.
Electronics Remain the Leading Target
Electronics were the most frequently targeted cargo during the second quarter, accounting for 23% of reported thefts.
Miscellaneous freight represented 20% of incidents, while clothing and footwear made up another 10%.
Together, those three categories accounted for 53% of everything reportedly stolen.
Pilferage, where criminals steal part of a shipment rather than taking the entire trailer or load, accounted for 46% of incidents. That was up from 37% during the first quarter.
Full-truckload theft represented 21%, facility theft accounted for 16% and deceptive pickups made up 11%.
Warehouses and distribution centers were the most frequently targeted locations, accounting for 37% of incidents where a location was identified.
Truck stops and fuel stations came next at 15%, followed by rail locations at 11%.
Texas accounted for 64% of the thefts reported at truck stops and fuel stations, according to the analysis.
Fewer Incidents, Much Larger Losses
A separate second-quarter analysis from Verisk CargoNet reached a similar warning about the financial risk.
CargoNet documented 677 supply-chain crime incidents across the United States and Canada, a 26% decline from the second quarter of 2025.
Despite fewer reported incidents, estimated losses more than doubled from $135.7 million to approximately $304.6 million.
The average reported value of a stolen shipment climbed to $564,009, driven partly by several multimillion-dollar thefts involving metals, computers and other high-value technology.
The two organizations use different reporting sources and methodologies, meaning their incident totals should not be directly combined. Both reports, however, points toward organized groups becoming more selective and targeting freight worth considerably more money.
Theft Expected to Increase
Overhaul expects reported cargo theft to increase during the second half of 2026, potentially reaching between 230 and 260 incidents per month.
For drivers, the findings show that freight may face its greatest risk shortly after leaving a shipper, while sitting at a warehouse or when parked at a truck stop.
The FBI says strategic cargo theft increasingly includes carrier identity theft, fictitious pickups, account takeovers, double-brokering schemes and fraudulent carriers.
In many of these cases, criminals don’t physically break into a trailer. They use convincing documents and stolen identities to have the shipment handed directly to them.
