Source: Trucking Dive 
Date: 16th July 2025

Congress Shifts Attention to Freight-Related Thefts as Industry Presses for Centralised Reporting and Stronger Collaboration.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has recently shifted its focus from storefront theft to the rising incidence of cargo theft, acknowledging the growing vulnerability of supply chains.

A key concern raised was the scale of financial losses tied to stolen goods in transit, including a high-profile case involving nearly half a million dollars’ worth of athletic merchandise stolen from a rail shipment. Witnesses emphasised how such crimes not only hurt businesses and consumers but could also have links to organised criminal operations, both domestically and internationally.

While there is consensus on the increasing threat, there is little agreement on the true scale of cargo theft due to inconsistent data sources and reporting methods. Estimates ranged from $1 billion to as much as $35 billion annually, depending on the reporting entity.

Figures from industry associations and federal agencies vary widely, complicating any unified understanding. Reports cited thousands of incidents, including a 27% year-on-year increase in cargo crime across the U.S. and Canada.

The hearing also highlighted gaps in law enforcement coordination and the need for legislative reform.

Experts urged the creation of a central reporting mechanism and stressed the importance of cross-agency collaboration. Proposed legislation aims to bridge these gaps by enabling federal, state, and local authorities to work together more effectively in tackling the complex and dispersed nature of cargo theft across the supply chain.