How to prevent cargo theft from warehouse pickup to delivery

Cargo theft prevention is no longer mainly about broken locks and stolen trailers. Theft can now begin with a fake email, a spoofed carrier account, or a driver who is not who they claim to be. Protecting cargo means securing the entire chain of custody, from the moment a load is tendered to the moment someone signs for it. 

Why cargo theft is costing more 

Verisk CargoNet recorded 3,594 supply chain crime events across the US and Canada in 2025, close to the 3,607 it recorded in 2024. The total barely moved, but the thefts within it did: confirmed cargo thefts rose 18% to 2,646, estimated losses climbed 60% to nearly $725 million, and the average value per theft reached $273,990. 

The bigger shift is in what criminals target. CargoNet’s vice president of operations said criminal groups are targeting extremely high-value shipments, which helps explain why losses rose faster than the number of thefts. California remained the most affected state, but activity grew in New Jersey, Indiana and Pennsylvania. 

These figures cover reported incidents only, so they indicate the trend rather than the full scale of cargo theft. 

Where cargo theft risks emerge along the supply chain 

Risk does not sit in one place. The BSI Consulting and TT Club 2025 Cargo Theft Report describes cargo theft as a system-wide supply chain security issue. Road transport remains the most exposed mode globally, facility-based losses persist, and insider involvement and fragmented responsibility feature prominently in loss events. 

That is why a single control rarely works. A strong program layers verified identities, controlled information, secure facilities, sound seals and locks, planned stops, movement and door alerts, documented handoffs, and a rehearsed response plan. 

Five steps to protect cargo from pickup to delivery 

The steps below follow a load from booking to signature, covering each point where custody changes hands. Use them to find where your current process is exposed. 

Step 1: Verify the carrier before the truck arrives 

Treat the booking as a security checkpoint 

The FBI warned in April 2026 that criminals are compromising broker and carrier accounts, posting fake loads and double-brokering real ones with manipulated bills of lading. Because the fraud happens before anyone reaches your gate, your controls need to start earlier. 

Confirm identity through a second channel 

The FMCSA advises confirming broker and carrier phone numbers through its SAFER system. If the number you were given does not match, call the one listed there. Examine carrier documents carefully, and treat last-minute changes to pickup details as a warning sign. The FBI recommends independently verifying shipment requests and pickups through a secondary method before releasing any load. 

Step 2: Control release at the warehouse 

Match the driver, truck, and paperwork 

Before releasing a load, check that the driver, tractor, trailer, and carrier authority all match the booking. The FBI recommends confirming the driver’s identity at pickup, checking the truck and trailer identifiers, and using a secure pickup number. Record plate details and take photographs so you have evidence if anything goes wrong. 

Limit who knows what 

Restrict sensitive load details to the people who need them. Limiting access to a high-value load’s contents, route, and timing reduces the chance of misuse or leaks. 

Step 3: Secure the load and monitor the trip 

Record the seal and loading condition 

Log the seal number, take photographs at loading, and confirm the count against the shipment record. This is your baseline if a dispute or claim follows. 

Plan routes and stops 

Agree on approved routes and secure parking in advance. Unplanned stops are a common point of exposure, so deviations should trigger a call, not a shrug. 

Add alerts that show something has changed 

Door-open, movement, and geofence alerts do not stop a determined thief on their own. They shorten the time between something going wrong and someone knowing about it. A door alert flags a trailer opened away from its pickup or delivery point. A movement alert shows a parked or dropped trailer being hooked up and driven off. A geofence alert warns when a load leaves its planned route or stops somewhere it should not. 

An alert is only useful if someone acts on it. Agree in advance who receives each type of alert, who contacts the driver, and when to escalate to the police. Set alerts for the moments that matter most, such as weekends, holidays, and overnight stops, so your team is not buried in notifications about routine activity. 

Step 4: Verify the handoff at delivery 

Repeat the identity checks at the destination. Confirm the recipient, check the seal number and shipment condition before accepting the load, and record the arrival and release times. A clean, documented handoff closes the chain of custody and protects everyone in it. 

Step 5: Prepare for the incident you hope never happens 

Speed matters once a theft is suspected. Preserve documents, photographs, location data, and communications. Then notify local police, your insurer, and the relevant reporting channels. The FMCSA also recommends alerting load boards and factoring companies if your company’s details are being used fraudulently and reporting suspected fraud to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. 

Use recognized standards rather than an improvised checklist. TAPA’s 2026 Trucking Security Requirements give you a ready framework to audit against. The 2026 revision requires tracking devices on tractors, trailers, and containers to report events individually, adds a mobile panic button or app for drivers, and prohibits dropping a loaded trailer or container without the buyer’s written approval. 

How Powerfleet supports cargo visibility 

Technology cannot replace gate verification, but it can make the rest of the journey more visible. Powerfleet’s Asset IoT solutions provide trailer tracking and location and movement data for containers and other assets, with environmental monitoring available through supported devices and sensors. Its solar-powered Logistics Gateway is designed for trailers and containers without a constant power source, and Powerfleet lists theft prevention and asset recovery among its uses. 

For transport operators, Powerfleet’s transportation solutions can support door-event monitoring, geofencing, and alerts for unauthorized activity, depending on the assets, devices, and configuration in use. Powerfleet’s Unity platform brings data from assets, vehicles, and sensors into one operational view. 

These tools help teams spot unauthorized movement, door events and route anomalies sooner. They support your process; they do not replace it. 

See how door-event monitoring, geofencing, and unauthorized-activity alerts can strengthen your process from pickup to delivery by exploring Powerfleet’s transportation solutions.