Cargo theft is no longer a crime of opportunity, it’s strategic, organized, and on the rise. On Thursday, April 24th, 2025, we were joined by the California Highway Patrol to discuss how to best combat strategic cargo theft. They walked through real investigations, evolving criminal tactics, and how law enforcement is responding. We were also joined by Daniel Hoff from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), who shared what’s happening on Capitol Hill to give law enforcement the tools they need-and how you can support the fight against fraud.
The session revealed the alarming scale and sophistication of cargo theft operations — and more importantly, how logistics professionals can better detect, report, and prevent them.
Watch the webinar
Cargo theft incident report & checklist
To support shippers, brokers, and carriers, Descartes and CHP have developed a Cargo Theft Incident Report & Checklist. This essential tool outlines exactly what to do — and what not to touch — in the event of a theft.
What you’ll find inside:
- How to preserve evidence without tampering
- What details to gather before calling law enforcement
- How to write a clean, jargon-free police report
- When to escalate to federal agencies or insurers
Law enforcement contacts by state
In emergencies, speed matters. The PCSC law enforcement contact list provides quick access to regional cargo theft task forces, including names, emails, and phone numbers.
Having these contacts on-hand can:
- Accelerate your police report
- Connect you with task force specialists
- Improve your chances of recovering stolen goods
Final thoughts
Cargo theft is not just a nuisance — it’s a multi-billion-dollar organized crime problem. Whether you’re a freight broker, warehouse manager, or dispatcher, your role in theft prevention and recovery is more important than ever.
Thanks again to all who attended. If you missed the session or want to share with your team, we’ll be distributing the full recording and slide deck shortly.
In the meantime, make sure to download the resources above, update your protocols, and stay vigilant.
