Inconsistent Reports Complicate Mexico's Cargo Theft Problem

Mexico continues to deal with inconsistencies in official government reports regarding cargo theft. While some sources indicate a significant increase in this crime, others suggest a decrease, leaving stakeholders uncertain about the true extent of the problem.

According to Blac, a security company specializing in transportation, the monthly theft report for February 2024 reveals a 92% surge in cargo theft cases compared to the same period in 2023. The report highlights that the State of Mexico registers the highest rates of cargo theft, comprising 33% of all cases, followed by San Luis Potosi with 16%, Tlaxcala with 9%, Puebla with 8%, and Jalisco with 8%.

On the other hand, the National Public Security System (SESNSP), through the Common Jurisdiction Crime Incidence Index, suggests a 4.67% decrease in cargo theft between February 2023 and February 2024. However, 82.2% of these reported incidents involved violence. Analyzing the same periods reveals that the State of Mexico, Michoacan and Jalisco, reported a decrease in criminal activity, while Morelos showed an increase of 91.6%, Puebla  of 8.09%, and San Luis Potosi of 32.35%.

Agriculture is one of the hardest-hit sectors in terms of cargo theft in Mexico, according to a study by AI27, a security firm specializing in cargo transportation. This crime reportedly inflates product prices by up to 7.64%. In an interview with Retailers.mx during the Expo ANTAD 2024, Raúl Betancourt, Director of Data Science, AI27, explained that the company’s research merged internal theft data, INEGI information, and SESNSP data.

AI27's data points to groceries as the most coveted items by criminals, constituting 41% of attempted thefts in February 2024. The company identified the time frame from 14:01 to 20:00 as the period with the highest robbery rates, with the State of Mexico, Puebla, Nuevo Leon, and Jalisco emerging as hotspots for theft nationwide.

The most frequently stolen goods include groceries (50%), electronics (11%), construction materials (10%), personal care items (8%), cleaning products (7%), and other equipment (6%), according to Blac. Robberies are particularly prevalent on Wednesdays (representing 37% of all cases) and Thursdays (28%), with the peak hours being between 19:00 and 20:00.

The 2023 Annual Cargo Theft Report by Overhaul, a supply chain integrity technology solution, highlights a 3.9% increase in cargo theft incidents compared to the previous year, with 86% involving some form of violence. According to projections, Overhaul estimates a 1.7% base increase in cargo theft by 2024.

Miguel Ángel Santiago, National Coordinator, Mexican Alliance of Carrier Organizations (AMOTAC), tells MBN that another strike is expected: “due to lack of response [to the sector’s demands regarding cargo theft]. We demand more security, no more extortion, no more abuses of authority, an end to intimidation by the local government to truck drivers, no more towing abuses — the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) does not sanction abuses — no charging for permits in municipalities, no double trailers, a faster licensing process, and no more truck drivers murdered.” However, the date for a future strike has not been set.