Logisticians fight back on theft

Organised cargo theft groups are adapting to tighter anti-fraud controls, shifting away from complex digital scams towards simpler, high-impact physical theft, according to CargoNet. As criminals target fewer but higher-value shipments, operators are responding with layered tracking, sensor-based monitoring and real-time visibility to close emerging security gaps. Reporting by Gregory DL Morris and Joshua Allen.

According to the Third-Quarter Supply Chain Risk Trends Analysis by CargoNet, a subsidiary of Verisk, organised crime groups are in a transitional phase, adapting to anti-fraud tools deployed across the logistics industry. The report shows a stabilising theft landscape, evolving tactics among crime groups, and increased targeting of high-value and ultra-high-value goods.

While overall theft remained relatively static year over year and declined modestly from Q2 2025, “behavioral shifts within these networks signal a recalibration that supply-chain stakeholders must monitor closely”, the analysis stated.