Cargo theft activity across the United States rose in the second quarter of 2026 as thieves targeted 605 reported loads, according to new data published by cargo security company Overhaul. That is 5% up on the first quarter but down 5% on the same period last year. The busiest month of the quarter was May, accounting for 35% of all reported incidents. California and Texas once again were the nation’s top cargo theft hot spots.
From April to June, Overhaul averaged approximately 202 incidents per month, or about 6.7 reported cargo theft cases per day. The company’s data is based on incidents reported through sources such as law enforcement agencies, insurers and transportation security councils. However, the numbers do not account for all cargo-related crimes nationwide, nor do they include stand-alone thefts involving trailers, containers or bobtail tractors. California represented 34% of all reported incidents for the quarter, with Texas accounting for 18%. Tennessee came next at 13%, followed by Pennsylvania at 10% and Illinois at 8%.
Electronics were the most targeted products in California, followed by food and beverage, clothing and footwear, and miscellaneous goods. The report said the most targeted in Texas were home and garden products, electronics and building or industrial materials.
Electronics remain the number one target
Electronics was the most targeted commodity category for the second quarter, accounting for 23% of all reported cargo theft cases. Miscellaneous cargo accounted for 20% of incidents, while clothing and shoes made up 10%. These three categories together accounted for 53% of all reported activity for the quarter.
The most common targets were mixed and miscellaneous shipments in the electronics segment, followed by batteries and panels. Miscellaneous cargo was the fastest growing of the major product categories. Thefts of these goods reported increased 38 percent compared with the first quarter and 84 percent compared to the same period last year. Clothing and footwear incidents also increased 25% quarter-over-quarter and 4% year-over-year. Building and industrial freight also saw increases in both comparisons.
Friday was the most active day for reported cargo theft at 18 percent of total incidents. Early morning hours between midnight and 6 am made up 28% of the total activity and the next two six hour periods represented similar shares. These incidents can occur at such a time that transportation companies have little chance to react when a shipment stops moving. Repeated pressure on warehouses, truck stops and rail facilities. Pilferage was the most common type of cargo theft recorded during the quarter, accounting for 46 per cent of incidents.
Full truckload theft accounted for 21% of reported thefts, followed by facility theft at 16%. Another 11% of recorded activity was due to deceptive pickup. Full Truckload Theft : Texas had the highest percentage of reports . 37% of the theft locations reported had location data available and were warehouses and distribution centers. Truck stops and fuel stations represented 15 percent and rail facilities 11 percent.
California, Tennessee and Texas had the most incidents in warehouses. Illinois, California, Arizona and Tennessee were the top states for reported rail cargo theft.
Southern California Remains a Hotbed for Cargo Theft
Southern California was one of the country’s biggest cargo theft hot spots in the past year, according to Overhaul. The area within 200 miles of Torrance was the site of 37% of all reported cargo thefts nationwide. The area saw an average of 81 reported incidents each month, a 28% increase over the prior period.
Close to seven of every ten incidents in the region were within 50 miles of Torrance.
Deceptive Pickups Are on the Rise in Southern California
Cargo theft in the Southern California zone was dominated by pilferage, comprising 45% of recorded incidents. Compared to the previous analysis, there was an increase in deceptive pickup activity from 24% to 28%. Warehouse and distribution center theft activity accounted for 55% of cargo theft in the area. The most attention from thieves went to electronics, clothing and shoes, and food and beverages. Overhaul said that cargo theft numbers for the most recent months typically rise after the first release, as reporting of incidents comes in late. Therefore, the company restates prior totals when comparing current activity to prior periods. So the numbers are based on reported incidents not a complete tally of every cargo theft taking place across the United States.
Why This Matters
The data today shows that the threat of cargo theft remains very focused around major freight hubs, but the methods used and the places targeted can be significantly different from one region to another. The findings highlight shippers, brokers and carriers must verify the identity of the people, equipment and businesses involved, prior to releasing a shipment. Verification is especially important in preventing false pickup scams where criminals can take advantage of vulnerabilities in operational procedures and freight verification processes.
From the CFCO’s perspective
Practically speaking, CFCO training gives freight professionals a structured framework to identify and respond to deceptive pickup risks. The approach is reminiscent of a simple operational principle: if it doesn’t look right, the safest thing to do is slow the process down and check the details before letting the freight go.
