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(Photo: Brampton, Ontario)

In a stark illustration of escalating risks in Canada’s supply chain, cargo theft has surged dramatically in 2025, blending traditional heists with sophisticated online fraud orchestrated by organized crime. According to data compiled by Équité Association from insurers, transportation firms, retailers, and law enforcement, truck thefts skyrocketed from 591 incidents in the first three quarters of 2024 to 984 in the same period this year. Trailer thefts followed suit, climbing from 383 to 638. While reported cargo thefts edged up modestly from 132 to 139, experts warn this figure vastly underrepresents the crisis.

Sid Kingma, director of Investigative Services for Western Canada at Équité Association—which maintains the nation’s largest database of stolen vehicles and goods—highlighted the reporting gap: "If 638 trailers were stolen, but only 139 loads were reported missing, that suggests nearly 500 empty trailers went missing—an unlikely scenario." He attributed underreporting to companies’ fears of reputational harm, self-insurance deductibles, or rising premiums, dubbing the landscape "a bit of a Wild West out there."

This opacity is exacerbated by Canada’s lack of a dedicated uniform crime reporting (UCR) code for cargo theft, forcing incidents into vague categories like "theft over $5,000." Without precise tracking, Kingma lamented, "We can’t quantify how big the problem actually is," though Équité advocates for reform to aid police, insurers, and the sector.

The trend mirrors a broader North American spike: Verisk Analytics Inc.’s CargoNet reported a record 27% increase in cargo thefts across the U.S. and Canada in 2024, totaling 3,625 incidents with losses exceeding US$454 million—driven by higher average theft values. In Canada, hotspots like Ontario’s Mississauga and Brampton tallied over 3,000 thefts from 2020 to 2025, followed by Montreal (371), Calgary (375), and Edmonton (234). Recovery is dismal: roughly half of stolen trucks and trailers are found, often abandoned and stripped, but just 11% of cargo is reclaimed. Perishables like food are swiftly resold or discarded, fueling black-market networks.

Kingma categorizes thefts into pilfering (minor losses), straight thefts (from yards or lots), and the surging "strategic" variety—fraudulent schemes where criminals pose as carriers, forge credentials, and vanish with shipments. These often involve cyber elements: scammers rebroker loads to legit firms, then reroute deliveries mid-transit. A notable bust in Ontario’s Peel Region exposed a $1.5-million ring using the defunct All Days Trucking to snag discounted hauls, linked to Brampton’s Bura Ltd. Inc., where stolen trailers were recovered.

Organized crime’s appeal lies in the asymmetry: "It’s a high-reward, low-risk type of crime," Kingma noted, with offenders facing only generic theft or fraud charges despite multimillion-dollar hauls. Deadly risks abound—one Mississauga case saw a stolen rig crash into vehicles, killing the driver and injuring others. Brazen tactics, like "rollover thefts" on Highway 401 where thieves climb aboard moving trucks, underscore the peril.

The fallout ripples to consumers: Équité estimated $205 million in losses from 2020-2025, a mere fraction of the true toll, as costs filter into retail prices. "The impacts of these thefts get built back into the goods we’re purchasing," Kingma explained. In shipping containers, fraud has exploded post-COVID, with imposters mimicking firms like Montreal’s ATS Container Services Inc. on platforms such as Facebook. Vice-president Sandra Paoliello reports victims wiring full payments after fake invoices with stolen logos, often from overseas operators. "Even the police are not seeing the scale," she said, citing inquiries from remote areas like Chicoutimi and Edmonton.

Cybersecurity expert Terry Cutler warned of hackers lingering undetected for 286 days, using breached data for seamless scams—spoofed emails, cloned sites, and phony pickups. To counter this, innovations like Bloodhound Tracking Device Inc.’s satellite-enabled trackers, partnering with MetOcean Telematics, offer hope. These devices use mesh networks for off-grid alerts, tamper sensors, and cameras, boasting 98% accuracy over 200,000 miles. CEO Curtis Spencer predicted insurers will soon mandate them: "They’re the ones paying through the nose right now."

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At the 2026 Freight Markets Summit, Highway’s Chief Commercial Officer Michael Caney talked to FreightWaves Strategic Analyst JP Hampstead about fraud and anti-fraud enforcement’s impact on the freight market.

Authorities announced the arrests of five Southern California residents on December 10, 2025, following a months-long investigation into an organized cargo-theft ring targeting UPS tractor-trailers in Ventura County.

The ring is believed responsible for at least eight major thefts between March and October 2025, stealing entire 53-foot trailers loaded with consumer electronics, appliances, furniture, and other high-value merchandise. Total losses to UPS exceed $1.2 million, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives say the crew used a consistent modus operandi: late at night or in the early morning hours, suspects would follow UPS trucks after they left the distribution facility in Oxnard or Moorpark, wait for the driver to park at a drop yard or truck stop, then hook the loaded trailer to their own tractor, and drive away. In several cases, thieves cut GPS tracking devices off the trailers and abandoned the empty shells in remote areas of Los Angeles County days later.

The breakthrough came in October when a UPS security team, working with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau and the California Highway Patrol’s Cargo Theft Interdiction Program (CTIP), placed covert GPS trackers on high-risk trailers. One such trailer, loaded with more than $200,000 worth of Apple products and televisions, was stolen on October 22 from a Moorpark yard. Real-time tracking led detectives to a warehouse in South Los Angeles where suspects were unloading merchandise.

A search warrant served at the warehouse recovered hundreds of stolen items still in original packaging, including MacBooks, iPads, flat-screen TVs, and high-end kitchen appliances. Investigators also found packaging materials, box cutters, and a forklift used to unload trailers.

The five suspects arrested are:

Jose Luis Hernandez, 39, of Palmdale (alleged ringleader)

Maria Guadalupe Vargas, 35, of Palmdale

Juan Carlos Morales, 42, of Lancaster

Eduardo Ramirez, 29, of Los Angeles

Karina Lopez, 31, of Compton

All five face multiple felony counts of grand theft, cargo theft, and organized retail crime. Hernandez and Morales also face charges for possession of stolen property and conspiracy. Bail for Hernandez was set at $500,000; the others range from $100,000 to $250,000.

Detectives believe the stolen goods were being resold on online marketplaces and through flea-market networks. The investigation remains active, with additional arrests possible.

Sheriff Jim Fryhoff praised the collaboration between UPS, CHP, and local agencies, stating, “Cargo theft is not a victimless crime. These organized rings drive up prices for everyone and fund other criminal activity.” Authorities are urging other trucking companies to report similar thefts immediately.

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