Cargo theft soars in Ontario

The east-central Canadian province recorded a 262 percent year-over-year increase in reported cargo thefts during the first quarter of 2017, mostly occurring in the Greater Toronto area.    CargoNet recorded 358 supply chain risk incidents across the United States and Canada during the first quarter of 2017.
   Of those incidents, 58 percent involved theft of a trucking vehicle, while 54 percent involved theft of cargo and 7 percent were classified as fraud, CargoNet said.
   A total of 192 cargo theft incidents were recorded, with an average loss value of approximately $149,522.
   California had the most cargo thefts during the quarter with 51 reported theft incidents.
   Although Texas usually comes in second, Ontario took the spot, which saw a 262 percent year-over-year increase in reported cargo thefts. Reported crime in the province exploded in the fourth quarter of 2016 and seems to have continued into the first quarter of 2017, CargoNet explained. Most theft reports in the province came from the Greater Toronto area.
   Overall, reported cargo thefts across the U.S. and Canada during the quarter typically occurred in secured yards, followed by warehouse locations and parking lots.
   In terms of product type, food and beverages were the most commonly stolen items during the quarter, accounting for 31 percent of all reported cargo thefts, followed by household items at 15 percent.