June 18, 2026 8 mins read
For years, cargo theft conversations have centered on familiar high-risk areas: California, major ports, warehouse-heavy markets, and dense freight corridors.
Those areas still matter. But the latest CargoNet data shows that companies should not limit their theft-prevention strategy to the places they already expect to be risky.
According to Verisk CargoNet’s 2025 annual supply chain risk analysis, released in January 2026, CargoNet recorded 3,594 supply chain crime events across the United States and Canada in 2025, nearly flat compared with 3,607 events in 2024. However, confirmed cargo theft incidents increased 18%, rising from 2,243 in 2024 to 2,646 in 2025. Estimated losses also climbed sharply, reaching nearly $725 million, a 60% increase from 2024.
Source note: Data is from Verisk CargoNet’s January 2026 annual analysis, “Cargo Theft Losses Surge to Estimated $725 Million in 2025, Verisk CargoNet Analysis Reveals.” CargoNet compares 2025 data updated through January 12, 2026, with 2024 data updated through January 12, 2025.
The geography is changing too. CargoNet reported that California remained the most impacted state in 2025 with 1,218 incidents, but theft activity also showed significant year-over-year increases in other states, including New Jersey (+50%), Indiana (+30%), and Pennsylvania (+24%).
For shippers, carriers, brokers, and logistics teams, the message is clear: cargo theft risk is not only concentrated in the usual places. It is also growing in regions that may not have been treated as top priorities in the past.
California still deserves serious attention. With major ports, heavy freight volume, major distribution activity, and high-density transportation networks, it remains the country’s most impacted state for cargo theft.
But California is not the whole story.
The more important takeaway from CargoNet’s 2025 analysis is that theft activity is becoming more geographically dispersed. New Jersey, Indiana, and Pennsylvania each saw meaningful increases, which suggests companies should review risk beyond the traditional West Coast and port-heavy hotspots.
This does not mean every lane or facility in these states carries the same level of risk. It does mean that companies moving freight through these regions should take a closer look at where cargo is stopping, how long it is sitting, what visibility they have, and how quickly teams can respond when something looks wrong.
With 1,218 reported incidents in 2025, California remained the most impacted state in CargoNet’s analysis. CargoNet also noted shifts within California, including a decline in Los Angeles County and increases in Kern County and San Joaquin County.
That detail matters because it shows that even within a known high-risk state, risk is not static. It can move between counties, corridors, and logistics markets.
For companies that already monitor California closely, the next step is not to take attention away from that market. It is to apply the same risk-review mindset to other regions where activity is rising.
A 50% increase in New Jersey makes the state an important area for logistics teams to review.
New Jersey plays a major role in freight movement, warehousing, port access, and regional distribution. Its proximity to major consumer markets and transportation corridors makes it a critical supply chain location.
For shippers and carriers, the practical question is not simply, “Are we moving through New Jersey?” It is:
Are we monitoring the specific lanes, yards, warehouses, rest stops, and handoff points where exposure may increase?
As theft patterns shift, broad regional assumptions are not enough. Companies need visibility at the shipment, vehicle, trailer, and stop level.
Indiana’s 30% increase is a reminder that cargo theft is not only a coastal-market issue.
As a centrally located transportation state with major interstate access, Indiana supports significant freight movement across the Midwest and beyond. That connectivity is valuable for supply chain efficiency, but it can also create exposure when shipments stop, dwell, or move through high-volume corridors.
For companies operating through the Midwest, Indiana’s increase should prompt a review of inland routes, planned stops, overnight parking locations, and escalation procedures when a shipment goes off schedule.
CargoNet reported a 24% increase in Pennsylvania, adding another Northeast corridor state to the list of rising-risk areas.
Pennsylvania connects major population centers, distribution networks, and long-haul freight routes. That makes it an important state for route planning and cargo security reviews.
A lane or facility that was once considered routine may deserve more attention if theft activity in the region is increasing. Companies should evaluate whether their current visibility tools and operating procedures reflect today’s risk, not last year’s assumptions.
CargoNet’s report identifies geographic dispersion, but companies should be careful not to overstate the exact cause without lane-level and incident-level analysis.
Several likely drivers may be contributing to the shift:
The key point is not that one single factor explains the shift. It is that cargo security programs need to be flexible enough to respond when the risk map changes.
As cargo theft risk spreads, companies should review more than just whether a shipment passes through a historically high-risk state. A strong risk review should look at routes, timing, visibility, and response procedures.
The goal is not to eliminate every risk. No system can do that. The goal is to reduce blind spots, improve response time, and give teams better information when decisions matter most.
When cargo theft risk is changing geographically, visibility becomes a strategic advantage.
Sarekon’s work in GPS telematics is built around helping teams locate assets, monitor movement, improve asset protection, and make faster decisions using real-time vehicle and asset data. Sarekon positions its GPS solutions around reliable real-time tracking, asset security, vehicle recovery, and IoT telematics, with tools designed to help businesses maintain visibility and control over valuable assets.
For shippers, carriers, and logistics teams, that kind of visibility can support a more proactive cargo security strategy. Real-time tracking and alerts can help teams identify unusual activity sooner, respond more quickly to route deviations or unexpected stops, and improve coordination when an asset needs attention.
Technology is not a replacement for strong procedures, trusted carrier relationships, driver communication, or law enforcement coordination. But it can strengthen each of those efforts by giving teams better information sooner.
As theft activity moves into new regions, companies need more than a static list of “high-risk states.” They need a visibility strategy that moves with the freight.
Cargo theft is still a major concern in California, but the 2025 data shows that companies should also pay close attention to where risk is growing.
With California reporting 1,218 incidents, and notable increases in New Jersey (+50%), Indiana (+30%), and Pennsylvania (+24%), shippers and logistics teams should review how they monitor freight across both traditional and emerging hotspots.
The next cargo theft hotspot may not be the one everyone is already watching.
If your team is still relying on outdated hotspot assumptions, limited shipment visibility, or manual escalation processes, now is the time to reassess.
Connect with Sarekon to evaluate how real-time GPS visibility, asset monitoring, and proactive alerts can help your team better understand risk exposure, respond faster, and protect high-value assets across changing freight corridors.
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