Cargo theft numbers reached another all-time high in 2013, according to a recent study. Cargo thieves are getting better organised and more sophisticated, but security company experts say there are ways to successfully combat these criminals and protect supply chains.

"Strategic application of technology is essential," stresses USA's VP of Major Accounts Neal Mulchrone. "USA has equipment and procedures in place to provide vehicle tracking mechanisms as part of the most effective over-the-road cargo escort program in the nation."

More and more logistics and transportation firms are investing in advanced freight security measures as cargo theft numbers continue to climb. A record 951 cargo thefts were recorded in 2012 and again in 2013 – an average of 2.6 incidents per day or 79.25 incidents per month.

Mulchrone notes sharp increases in thefts of certain product types in 2013. "Food and drinks thefts and pharmaceutical thefts are rising dramatically. Electronics loads continue to be heavily targeted. The loss potential is particularly substantial with stolen electronics, alcohol and tobacco, and pharmaceuticals. One stolen truckload can represent anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars."

In 2013, the average loss value per cargo theft incident across all product types was $171,000. The average value of stolen electronics loads was $397,000, while stolen alcohol/tobacco loads averaged $280,000, and stolen clothes/shoes followed close behind at an average value of $272,000. The largest single incident loss was $12.5 million, a full truckload of smartphones stolen in Gary, Indiana.

USA's Senior Vice President of National Accounts Alton Harvey says, "We minimize potential losses to our customer by guarding the supply chain from departure to arrival. With over 160 local offices from coast to coast, we provide everything from site security service at warehouses and distribution centres, to trained and dedicated cargo escort teams, to technology tools for tracking load progress and locating stolen product after the fact." USA's cargo escort professionals remain in constant contact with dispatch centers, reporting progress and every stop along the way, however brief. Photo-documentation and trip logs record loading and unloading, trailer seal integrity, and suspicious or unusual incidents en route. Harvey emphasizes that, "Not a single moment passes during the entire process without protective surveillance."