Brazil, Mexico, India, the US, Indonesia, Chile, China, Germany, and South Africa were the top countries for recorded cargo theft, according to TT Club and BSI Consulting. The 2025 Cargo Theft Report, published on 21 April, said that Ecuador experienced one of the sharpest increases of any nation, with theft cases nearly doubling as gang-related violence intensified in coastal provinces. Food and beverage products led all stolen commodity categories, followed by agriculture, electronics, automotive parts, construction materials, and metals.
Trucks remain the dominant target, accounting for 70% of all incidents globally, while 22% of global cargo theft incidents involved the cooperation of insiders.
Rail cargo theft in the US rose from 4% of incidents in 2024 to 10% in 2025. Organised criminal groups – including networks linked to cartels operating out of Sinaloa, Mexico – carried out coordinated attacks on freight trains in rural Arizona and California, sabotaging systems and staging armed encounters with law enforcement.
Technology-enabled theft also grew more sophisticated, with criminals exploiting cybersecurity weaknesses, fraudulent documents, and impersonation tactics to carry out fictitious pickups, double and triple brokering, and product hostage schemes.
In Europe, Germany (27%), Italy (13%), the UK (9%), France (6%), and Spain (6%) reported the greatest number of thefts. Facility thefts rose notably – particularly in Italy, Germany, Romania, and Bulgaria – with warehouses accounting for 33% of all theft locations. In the UK, cargo theft losses reached US$149 million with a US$ 9 million smartphone heist at Heathrow airport among the highest-value incidents.
Another notable emerging trend was the theft of rare earth minerals in China. The report also noted that maritime risks also escalated sharply, with sea piracy incidents rising 85% in the first half of 2025, their highest level in nearly a decade. Likewise the Strait of Malacca and Singapore experienced a 281% year-on-year surge in incidents.
