States Crack Down on Cargo Theft as Deceptive Pickups Rise
Key Takeaways:
- Arkansas and Tennessee enacted tougher cargo theft penalties, while California, Arizona and other states considered task forces to combat freight crimes.
- Cargo theft totals $18 million daily, according to ATRI, and Overhaul reported nearly seven incidents per day in Q1.
- California and Arizona bills would create attorney general-led task forces, while Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and South Carolina are exploring legislation.
Arkansas and Tennessee lawmakers are enacting tougher sanctions against cargo thieves, while other states are eyeing bills that would establish task forces to harness resources to combat this burgeoning criminal activity.
Truckers in states throughout the nation are having freight stolen at a rate amounting to $18 million each day, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.
A May 14 report by Overhaul for the first quarter of this year put the daily rate of cargo theft at nearly seven per day.
Thefts of auto and parts loads rose most sharply, the report found, climbing 142% from Q4 2025 and 51% from a year earlier. Electronics remained the most common target, representing 17% of incidents, followed by food and drinks at 15%, with auto and parts and clothing and shoes at 11% each.
The report cited an increase in deceptive pickups in which cargo is stolen by criminals using fake identities, forged credentials and carrier impersonation to steal legitimate loads.
“The growth in deceptive pickup schemes tells us that organized networks are investing in fraud infrastructure, and when criminals are forging identities and impersonating carriers, a padlock on a trailer isn’t going to stop them. That’s a threat you have to monitor, verify and catch in real time,” said Barry Conlon, CEO and founder of Overhaul.
Thieves are focusing on California, with its key ports and intermodal hubs. Much of the nation’s stolen freight is linked to organized crime rings using sophisticated methods.
Some goods being shipped from California to other parts of the country are being stolen as the freight moves into Arizona.
California, Arizona Look at Task Forces
Legislators in California are considering Senate Bill 1019, which is moving through the committee process and sits in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
It would require the attorney general to establish a California Cargo Theft Task Force to combat cargo and freight crimes, such as theft, diversion, embezzlement, unlawful taking or fraudulent acquisition.
Task force members would investigate, apprehend and recommend for prosecution both individuals and organizations involved in cargo theft or related crimes.
Other responsibilities would include:
- Identifying trends and patterns of cargo theft to compile metrics and values of missing freight
- Coordinating with law enforcement agencies and industry stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the overall cargo theft situation within the state
- Recommending legislation and policy for criminal penalties, enforcement tools or interagency coordination to deter theft while protecting California’s economy
Similarly, Arizona has been considering Senate Bill 1452 for the state attorney general to establish a cargo theft task force similar to a successful ongoing retail task force.
Tony Bradley, president and CEO of the Arizona Trucking Association, testified before a state House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing in March to garner support. He told lawmakers cargo theft is a “very sophisticated international crime issue” that is taking place in Arizona, especially the “hot spot” of Kingman.
“In the last few years, I’ve received almost a call a month from members asking for help what to do. What has occurred is they’re often told just to call Crime Stop because they think we’re just trying to file insurance claims,” Bradley said. “We’re actually interested in getting the cargo back. … What’s important for our purposes is having a central location to call the AG’s office to coordinate with law enforcement to help all 15 counties fight this because it’s happening on all of our interstates.”
Arkansas Declares Cargo Theft Emergency
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders enacted legislation March 18 that took effect immediately. Act 322 declared the state under a cargo theft emergency. Lawmakers ushered in a change to an existing law adding up to 10 years in an enhanced penalty for cargo theft.
Lawmakers heard about one trucker-broker constituent who owns a business and had a cold storage truck filled with food that was stolen from a depot by an organized retail crime gang. The business owner had invested in security measures, vehicle trackers and truck driver identification measures, but the thieves overcame every obstacle.
When police found the truck at a cold storage warehouse, hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of food was gone.
The new law also stipulates that people convicted of theft with the criminal enhancement cannot earn early release credits but must serve the full sentence.
Under the emergency, the state’s General Assembly deemed theft of goods moving in commerce “a pervasive problem” in Arkansas that impacts businesses and consumers, requiring immediate deterrent measures to protect the state economy and preserve public peace, health and safety.
Tennessee Enacts Cargo Theft Laws
Pilferage was listed as the most common type of cargo theft in Tennessee, “indicating continued localized theft activity in key logistics hubs,” according to Overhaul. The state led in pilferage with a 37% share, followed by Texas (27%), Illinois (17%) and California (12%).
Most of the freight stolen in Tennessee during the first three months of this year was pharmaceuticals, electronics, and food and drinks.
Pilferage remained the most common method of cargo theft in Q1, accounting for 37% of all reported incidents, although it decreased compared with previous periods.
Gov. Bill Lee signed two cargo theft deterrent bills that became laws effective July 1. One expanded the criminal offense of organized retail crime to include knowingly using an online marketplace or social media platform to coordinate a meeting to sell, barter or trade stolen merchandise for monetary or other gain.
The other new law added a section to the penal code to criminalize entering a cargo container and removing merchandise, broadening the cargo theft legal definition. At the same time, it gives police and prosecutors clearer authority to pursue criminal charges, according to the Tennessee Trucking Association.
Donna England, TTA president and CEO, noted that cargo theft is a growing concern for members, who were grateful for legislative sponsors, especially Sen. Paul Bailey and Rep. Pat Marsh, who advocated for truckers.
“We recognize this legislation as an important first step, and we know additional efforts will be needed to fully combat cargo theft in the future,” England said.
Other States Exploring New Laws
As cargo theft remains a growing national problem, other states considering cargo theft legislation are Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and South Carolina.
Source: Transport Topics
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
