California, Texas account for 58% of US cargo theft in 2025

Cargo theft in the U.S. and Canada increased in volume last year compared to 2024; while showing clear changes in how thefts were executed. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Noi Mahoney

Wed, February 18, 2026 at 9:00 PM GMT+9 3 min read

California and Texas accounted for more than half of all reported U.S. cargo thefts in 2025, underscoring how concentrated freight crime has become in the nation’s largest logistics hubs.

California alone represented 38% of all recorded cargo theft incidents last year, up from 32% in 2024, while Texas ranked second with 20% of total thefts, according to a new report from supply chain risk management firm Overhaul.

Together, the two states accounted for 58% of all reported cargo crime nationwide, based on 2,576 thefts recorded across the U.S. in 2025.

Overhaul said the increase reflects a renewed concentration of cargo theft activity along major freight corridors and metropolitan areas, particularly around Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Dallas and Houston.

Tennessee ranked third, though its share declined to 11% in 2025. Illinois and Pennsylvania each accounted for 7% of reported incidents, while Georgia represented 4%.

Secondary states including Maryland, Kentucky and New Jersey each captured about 2% of total cargo theft volume.

Related: Crabs, cologne and contraband: Cargo crimes spike across freight lanes

Cargo theft increased 16% in 2025

Overall, cargo theft in the U.S. rose 16% year over year in 2025, with all four quarters posting higher volumes than the same periods in 2024. The fourth quarter was the most active, accounting for 30% of annual incidents.

On average, the U.S. recorded 7.16 cargo thefts per day in 2025, compared to 6.07 per day in 2024. Overhaul expects thefts to increase by at least 13% in 2026, projecting annual incidents could rise to roughly 2,910.

Electronics remained the most frequently stolen commodity, representing 22% of total thefts, followed by food and drinks at 15% and home and garden products at 11%.

Criminal tactics are also evolving. While pilferage remains the most common event type, accounting for 43% of cases, “deceptive pickup” schemes — where criminals impersonate legitimate carriers or brokers — continue to grow at a rapid pace.

Deceptive pickup incidents increased 35% year over year and now represent 10% of recorded cargo theft events.

From a location perspective, warehouses and distribution centers were the most targeted sites, accounting for 36% of incidents, followed by truck stops and fuel stations at 17%.

Toronto area accounts for 65% of cargo theft in Canada last year

While cargo theft reporting in Canada continues to lag behind the U.S., criminal activity remains widespread and increasingly organized, according to Overhaul’s 2025 data

Ontario accounted for 65% of all recorded cargo theft incidents in Canada, with most activity concentrated around the Greater Toronto Area. However, that share declined compared to prior years, signaling a broader geographic spread of theft activity.

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British Columbia recorded the most notable increase, rising from 5% to 15% of total reported incidents, suggesting cargo crime is expanding beyond traditional hotspots.

In terms of theft methods, full truckload theft remained the dominant event type in Canada, representing 61% of incidents, while last-mile courier theft rose sharply to 22%, reflecting growing vulnerability in final-delivery networks

Deceptive pickup schemes — which have surged in the U.S. — also continued to gain traction in Canada, accounting for 10% of total incidents.

Most Canadian thefts occurred on weekdays, particularly Mondays and Fridays, and were concentrated overnight and in early morning hours, underscoring elevated risk during standard linehaul and staging windows.

The post California, Texas account for 58% of US cargo theft in 2025 appeared first on FreightWaves.

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