The American Trucking Associations (ATA) expressed support for recent Congressional actions addressing the spike in cargo theft incidents. The House Appropriations Committee has integrated a mandate into the fiscal year 2025 Department of Homeland Security budget, instructing Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to establish a Supply Chain Fraud and Theft Task Force. This mandate comes with an allocated budget of $2 million to drive the initiative. Spearheaded by Rep. David Valadao of California, the initiative aims to counteract the rising cases of cargo theft and widespread supply chain fraud, aligning with ATA’s core objectives.
Henry Hanscom, ATA’s Senior Vice President of Legislative Affairs, emphasized the industry’s commitment to safely and promptly delivering goods across America. He applauded the House Appropriations Committee and Congressman Valadao for directing HSI to leverage its unique cross-border capabilities to combat this pressing issue. This initiative is expected to bolster cooperation among government entities, law enforcement, motor carriers, and supply chain partners to dismantle organized theft rings effectively.
The directive allocates $2 million to HSI, a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to collaborate with state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies and relevant private sector partners. The task force will adopt a coordinated, multi-agency, intelligence-informed, and prosecutor-led approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal groups responsible for cargo theft and associated violence in the American supply chain.
Mark Savage, chairman of ATA’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB) and Director of Connected Truck Solutions at Drivewyze, remarked, “When I served in the Colorado State Patrol, cases of cargo theft were far less prevalent than they are today. Unfortunately, in recent years, organized theft groups have been systematically targeting our nation’s supply chains and using increasingly sophisticated techniques to steal cargo in transit,” said Mark Savage, chairman of the ATA’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB) and director of connected truck solutions at Drivewyze. “LEAB is already working with the trucking industry as well as with the Cargo Theft Task Force in Florida and the California Highway Patrol to help raise awareness and connect local officers with federal resources. We support this appropriations provision that will strengthen law enforcement’s ability to crack down on criminals and protect drivers and motor carriers from future thefts.”
Data from CargoNet reveals that cargo theft surged by 57% in 2023 compared to the previous year, continuing with an additional 10% increase in the first quarter of 2024. The initial quarter alone saw 925 reported cargo theft incidents, with an average loss of $281,757 per stolen shipment. The states of California, Texas, and Illinois led in reported incidents, accounting for 61% of the total cases. Given that motor carriers are not mandated to report these thefts, the actual number of thefts is likely even higher.
Cargo theft poses significant challenges by disrupting supply chains, endangering truck drivers, and burdening law enforcement. Earlier this year, ATA recognized the severity of this issue by adding security, including cargo theft and cyber threats, to its strategic priorities.
Source: Truckers News
