Cargo crime in Europe: key points
- Cargo crime now generates not only losses worth billions of euros, but also reputational crises, operational disruption and rising insurance costs.
- The largest numbers of incidents in Europe are reported in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Spain. Theft from facilities is also increasing, including in Romania and Bulgaria.
- More than one fifth of cargo theft incidents globally involve insiders. Weak verification and forwarding procedures can therefore be as dangerous as inadequate physical security.
- The EU lacks almost 400,000 safe and secure lorry parking spaces, particularly along major transport corridors. When drivers are forced to stop in unsecured locations, both they and their cargo become more vulnerable.
For years, cargo theft was treated by many companies as an operational incident: something that happened “on the road”, “at a parking area”, “on the carrier’s side” or “as a result of a driver’s mistake”.
The matter was often closed with a damage report, a notification to the insurer and, in some cases, a claim against the subcontractor. That approach is no longer sufficient.
Cargo crime in Europe is no longer simply about a stolen trailer, a cut curtain or a few missing pallets. It increasingly affects the entire supply chain management model, including carrier selection, route planning, the use of freight exchanges, the daily work of freight forwarders, security procedures, insurance, customer relationships and corporate reputation.
According to a joint statement published by IUMI and TAPA EMEA in February 2026, almost 160,000 cargo-related crimes were recorded in TAPA’s intelligence system across 129 countries between 2022 and 2024. Total losses were estimated at several billion euros.
The organisations warned that, alongside traditional theft, digital methods are becoming increasingly important. These include impersonating legitimate companies, using false documents, cloning businesses and exploiting weaknesses in transport processes.
This is the point at which the industry should stop asking, “Do we have monitoring?” and start asking, “Are we really managing risk?”
Cargo theft is not only the loss of goods
The biggest mistake when assessing cargo crime is to calculate only the value of the stolen goods. In practice, the cost of an incident is much broader.
First, the company loses the cargo. But it also loses operational time. Staff must establish what happened, collect system data and communicate with the customer, carrier, insurer, police, broker and, in many cases, the company’s headquarters or compliance department.
There is also the risk of losing the customer’s trust. For high-value cargo such as luxury goods, electronics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, tobacco or alcohol, the loss itself may be less damaging than the question that follows: why did the procedures fail?
There can also be reputational consequences. Stolen goods may enter the black market, unauthorised sales channels or even return to legal circulation in ways that are difficult to control.
For the manufacturer, this creates not only a financial loss, but also the risk of undermining its distribution, pricing, quality-control and product-safety policies.
Insurance pressure may increase as well. Companies unable to demonstrate sufficient control over the transport process may face more difficult claims handling, higher premiums or additional security requirements.
Cargo theft is therefore no longer merely a transport problem. It is a business management problem.
Europe is an attractive target
Europe has a dense transport network, high-value cargo volumes, a large road freight sector and numerous points at which goods pass between different supply chain participants. Every handover creates a potential vulnerability. A BSI Consulting and TT Club report on cargo theft in 2025 found that the highest numbers of incidents in Europe were reported in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France and Spain.
It also highlighted an increase in theft from facilities, particularly in Italy, Germany, Romania and Bulgaria. Warehouses accounted for 33% of reported theft locations. This is an important warning. For a long time, discussions about cargo crime focused mainly on the road: parking areas, stops, routes and drivers. Yet the risk does not begin or end at the trailer.
It often starts much earlier, during partner selection, order verification, loading planning, access to data, warehouse organisation and information management. The theft may take place at a parking area, but its source is often in the office.
Criminals do not act randomly
Traditional theft from vehicles, break-ins to trailers and attacks at unsecured parking areas still occur. However, cargo crime is becoming more organised, more patient and increasingly dependent on information.
Criminals observe the market. They know which goods are easy to sell, difficult to recover and attractive on illegal markets. They know when cargo is likely to be left in vulnerable locations.
They also know that time pressure in freight forwarding can sometimes override common sense, and that carrier-verification procedures in some businesses exist more convincingly in presentations than in everyday operations.
In an April 2026 statement, BSI and TT Club said trucks remained the dominant target globally, accounting for around 70% of incidents. At the same time, more than one fifth of cargo theft incidents worldwide involved insider participation.
This point deserves particular emphasis: cargo security does not depend only on a lock, seal or tracking device. It also depends on people, access to information, process control and organisational culture.
The weakest point is often the process
Many incidents do not result from a lack of technology. They result from the absence of a coherent process. A company may use GPS, monitoring, alarms, geofencing, electronic seals and extensive written procedures.
But if a freight forwarder verifies a carrier in a hurry, documents are checked superficially, contact details are not confirmed through an independent channel or the order is passed to further subcontractors without proper control, technology becomes little more than an elegant suit covering a mess. It looks impressive, but it does not provide sufficient protection.
Transport security is not about using as many tools as possible. It is about ensuring that those tools form part of a properly designed system covering people, procedures, data, routes, parking, communication, incident response and post-incident analysis.
Secure parking is critical transport infrastructure
Cargo crime in Europe cannot be discussed without addressing the shortage of safe and secure lorry parking. Drivers have to rest. This is not simply a matter of comfort, but of law, road safety and cargo security. The difficulty is that infrastructure in many parts of Europe does not reflect the realities of road transport.
In April 2025, the European Commission said the European Union lacked 390,057 safe and secure parking spaces for professional drivers. It warned that the shortfall could rise to 483,000 spaces by 2040. The problem is particularly severe in countries such as Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, all of which lie on major European transport corridors.
This is not only a problem for drivers. It affects shippers, carriers, freight forwarders, insurers and the market as a whole. When a driver has nowhere to rest legally, safely and with dignity, the system itself creates opportunities for criminals. Drivers cannot reasonably be expected to take responsibility for cargo worth hundreds of thousands of euros while being left at the roadside, in a lay-by, at an unsuitable parking area or in a location without lighting, access control or basic facilities.
Safe and secure parking is not a luxury. It is an essential part of supply chain resilience.
