Cargo theft in Mexico rises in 2017

A total of 4,030 cargo thefts were recorded in Mexico during the year, a 127 percent increase from 2016, according to the SensiGuard Supply Chain Intelligence Center.    A total of 4,030 cargo thefts were recorded in Mexico during 2017, up 127 percent from 1,773 recorded thefts in 2016 and 266 percent from 1,102 recorded thefts in 2015, according to data released Friday by the SensiGuard Supply Chain Intelligence Center.
   Last year, 94 percent of the cargo theft incidents in Mexico were concentrated in the Central (53 percent), Western (22 percent) and Southeast (13 percent) regions.
   November was the busiest month for thefts, with nearly 500 reported cargo robberies taking place in that month alone. September and October followed, with about 420 thefts reported in each month, according to SensiGuard statistics.
   By comparison, in November 2016, a little over 200 cargo thefts were reported, while slightly under 200 were reported in October of that year and about 175 that September, data shows.
   The most frequently stolen products in Mexico during 2017, according to SensiGuard, included food and drinks (28 percent), fuel (28 percent), chemicals (7 percent), miscellaneous (6 percent), building and industrial materials (6 percent) and electronics (6 percent).
   The Mexico-Veracruz highway represented 34 percent of cargo thefts in Mexico during the year, with three road sections identified having accounted for 81 percent of the criminal activity, which included San Martin Texmelucan-Amozoc (36 percent), Amozoc-Esperanza (28 percent) and Esperanza-Fortín (18 percent).
   “SensiGuard Security Services recommends that drivers stay alert, especially in high-risk areas and areas without reception,” the company said.
   “Furthermore,” the report continued, “we recommend providing training in security issues to drivers, conducting transport operation during daylight hours, making sure the freight vehicle in which the merchandise is transported is in good mechanical condition, and maintaining constant monitoring to identify incidents and react immediately.”