Criminals Deploying New Methods to Steal Cargo
Not only is theft spiraling out of control, but criminals are leveraging new strategies to go about their illicit business. So-called “strategic theft” accounted for almost one-third of thefts in 2024 – up from just 8% in 2020.
Rather than employing brute force, “strategic theft” exploits the traditional shipping model, in which a broker acts as the conduit between a shipper and a carrier, the trucking company that ultimately transports the load.
With this method, criminals deceive one or more of the parties involved in the supply chain, tricking them into handing over goods, money, or even both. Reportedly, “strategic theft” is extremely difficult to investigate.
One expert that CNBC spoke to, the Vice President of Operations at Verisk CargoNet, Keith Lewis, said: “Think of identity theft. Think of a friend that’s had their identity stolen or their credit card stolen. There’s no difference. There’s no breadcrumb trail to follow…it’s a ghost.” Alarmingly, the company has tracked organized criminal groups to no fewer than 32 different countries.
