As cargo theft losses reached $6.6B in 2025, a new report from connected transportation and asset tracker provider Geotab Inc. finds that cybercrime tactics, including GPS spoofing, stolen credentials, and AI-powered social engineering, are being used to target high-value shipments with a level of precision that traditional security measures were not built to stop.

“This isn’t the same cargo theft problem the industry was dealing with even two years ago,” said Emily Williams, AVP Transportation Business Development at Geotab. “We’re seeing a convergence of physical and cyber threats. Criminals are accessing fleet-tracking portals with stolen credentials, spoofing GPS to mask route diversions, and using AI to automate phishing at scale. It demands a fundamentally different response.”

Confirmed theft incidents rose 18% year-over-year in 2025, with average theft values climbing 36% to nearly $274,000 per incident. Food and beverage thefts alone spiked 47%.

In a survey of 575 U.S. fleet operators, 38% said they were more worried about cargo theft than the year before, and 34% had experienced a theft incident in the prior 12 months.

Geotab has released a new report, “Securing the Supply Chain: A 2026 Blueprint for Countering Smarter Theft.” It finds that criminal networks are increasingly exploiting “digital blind spots” to remove cargo without force—often before a fleet even realizes a theft has occurred.

Nearly a quarter of fleet professionals surveyed identified strategic theft—fraud, identity theft, and falsified paperwork as their greatest threat, signaling a move away from traditional “smash-and-grab” crime.

Nearly half indicated that the stress and safety risks associated with theft are contributing to significant driver burnout and turnover.

Respondents indicated that as theft becomes more organized, insurers are tightening requirements, pushing for proof of digital security and automated monitoring before offering favorable terms.

The survey also found that 51% of American consumers experienced some form of cargo theft in the past year—often perceived as deliveries that simply “disappeared.”

More than a third (37%) now connect cargo theft to the higher prices they pay, making it a reputational risk as much as an operational one.

The same technology used by the criminals can also be used as a defense when deployed as a single connected system rather than a set of separate tools, the company said.

Fleet operators can track vehicles, trailers, and high-value loads in real time using GPS, while geofences trigger alerts for route deviations, long dwell times, or entry into high-risk areas.

Video telematics can activate when doors open or motion is detected, creating a visual record of events. Smart locks and electronic seals can send instant tamper alerts, as AI systems analyze operational data to flag unusual stops, off-hours movement, or irregular routes before a theft takes place.

“The fleets best positioned against today’s threats are the ones that have made real-time visibility part of how they operate every day, not just after something goes wrong,” added Williams.

For a deeper analysis of the cargo theft landscape and a detailed framework for fleet protection, Geotab’s full report is available at https://www.geotab.com/resources/ebook/securing-the-supply-chain/