CARGO theft remains a critical threat to logistics networks across Mexico, with the first quarter of 2025 revealing both troubling trends and tactical shifts in criminal behaviour.
According to Overhaul's Q1 2025 Cargo Theft Report, an overwhelming 81 per cent of all cargo theft incidents reported nationwide involved violence, highlighting the persistent danger facing drivers and supply chain operators.
Geographically, theft was highly concentrated with nearly 78 per cent of cargo thefts taking place in Mexico's central and Southeast regions, with the central region alone accounting for 61 per cent of all incidents, reports New York's FreightWaves.
Two states, Mexico and Puebla, each reported 19 per cent of the national total, maintaining their status as the most dangerous regions for cargo transport.
Additionally, theft in Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi surged, each rising by 3 percentage points compared to Q1 2024.
A deeper look into temporal patterns shows that 82 per cent of all thefts occurred from Monday through Friday, with peak activity from Tuesday through Friday (69 per cent).
The most dangerous time windows were 6 pm to midnight (31 per cent of incidents) and 6 am to noon (28 per cent), aligning with common cargo movement schedules and suggesting targeted strikes during transit shifts.
Food and beverage shipments were the top target, representing 34 per cent of thefts. This category saw a 5-percentage-point increase over Q1 2024, with avocados identified as a specific high-value item. Other rising categories included auto parts (up four points), particularly tyres and electrical components, and chemicals such as detergents and plastics (up one point). Home and garden products, especially appliances, also saw a modest increase in theft.
In terms of tactics, criminals primarily intercepted trucks in motion, accounting for 62.6 per cent of cases. The theft of parked vehicles accounted for 36.8 per cent, often occurring in zones associated with fuel theft and organized crime.
To mitigate ongoing threats, Overhaul recommends transiting during daylight hours and implementing a multilayered security approach combining physical and electronic safeguards. Its platform, for example, provides real-time tracking, behavioural alerts and predictive analytics powered by GPS, weather and historical crime data.
SeaNews Turkey
According to Overhaul's Q1 2025 Cargo Theft Report, an overwhelming 81 per cent of all cargo theft incidents reported nationwide involved violence, highlighting the persistent danger facing drivers and supply chain operators.
Geographically, theft was highly concentrated with nearly 78 per cent of cargo thefts taking place in Mexico's central and Southeast regions, with the central region alone accounting for 61 per cent of all incidents, reports New York's FreightWaves.
Two states, Mexico and Puebla, each reported 19 per cent of the national total, maintaining their status as the most dangerous regions for cargo transport.
Additionally, theft in Guanajuato and San Luis Potosi surged, each rising by 3 percentage points compared to Q1 2024.
A deeper look into temporal patterns shows that 82 per cent of all thefts occurred from Monday through Friday, with peak activity from Tuesday through Friday (69 per cent).
The most dangerous time windows were 6 pm to midnight (31 per cent of incidents) and 6 am to noon (28 per cent), aligning with common cargo movement schedules and suggesting targeted strikes during transit shifts.
Food and beverage shipments were the top target, representing 34 per cent of thefts. This category saw a 5-percentage-point increase over Q1 2024, with avocados identified as a specific high-value item. Other rising categories included auto parts (up four points), particularly tyres and electrical components, and chemicals such as detergents and plastics (up one point). Home and garden products, especially appliances, also saw a modest increase in theft.
In terms of tactics, criminals primarily intercepted trucks in motion, accounting for 62.6 per cent of cases. The theft of parked vehicles accounted for 36.8 per cent, often occurring in zones associated with fuel theft and organized crime.
To mitigate ongoing threats, Overhaul recommends transiting during daylight hours and implementing a multilayered security approach combining physical and electronic safeguards. Its platform, for example, provides real-time tracking, behavioural alerts and predictive analytics powered by GPS, weather and historical crime data.
SeaNews Turkey
