Cargo Theft: The Definitive Guide to Improve Fleet & Cargo Security

In recent years, the transport and logistics industry has faced many disruptions in the supply chain. However, none now is so pressing as cargo theft. Continuing globalisation has meant an increase in the amount of freight shipped across international boundaries, but likewise financial inflation and general shortages signalled a growing degree of trailer robberies.

The possibility of cargo theft happening is a concern for fleet managers worldwide. After all, security breaches equate to danger for drivers, as well as substantial monetary losses for businesses. Fleet managers go to extensive lengths to reduce fleet costs and improve safety, and instances of cargo theft undermine those efforts.

Fortunately, owing to leading industry advancements, there are now more ways than ever to ensure the security of your fleet and the cargo it’s transporting. In this guide, we’ll be going over some definitive preventative measures which fleet managers can take in order to decrease the risk - and impact - of cargo theft.

Cargo Theft Statistics in South Africa

South Africa’s own crime statistics tell a more locally relevant story than any EU-wide figure. According to SAPS data reported by the Road Freight Association, 327 truck hijackings were recorded between April and June 2026, down from 414 in the same quarter of the previous year. Gauteng remains overwhelmingly the dominant hotspot, consistently accounting for roughly two-thirds of the national total in every recent quarter.

That decline is worth reading carefully rather than taking at face value. Road Freight Association CEO Gavin Kelly has cautioned that the reported drop may reflect under-reporting as much as genuine improvement: many operators, he has said, have lost confidence that reported incidents lead to action, and have simply stopped reporting every case. A separate operator quoted in the same reporting made the same point directly: exposure to the risk has not changed, insurance pricing has not moved, and no operator has reduced security spending on the strength of the improved headline number.

The financial picture, drawn from Aon South Africa’s published cargo risk analysis, is significant on its own terms: over an 18-month period to June 2022, the TAPA EMEA Intelligence System recorded 2,670 cargo theft incidents across all nine South African provinces, with losses totalling approximately R577 million. Security costs have risen accordingly, from roughly 0.3% of vehicle operating costs a decade ago to about 2.3% by the end of 2025, rising further to around 4.1% for the highest-risk cargo categories.

Which cargo carries the highest risk?

Not all freight carries equal risk, and the cost data reflects this directly. Cash, electronics, fuel, spirits, and medicines are consistently the categories drawing the sharpest rise in security spending, now running at around 4.1% of operating costs for these cargo types specifically, well above the roughly 2.3% average across all freight.

For a fleet manager, this has a practical implication before it is a statistic: security investment should be matched to what is actually being carried, not applied as a flat policy across an entire fleet. A vehicle moving high-value or high-demand goods on a regular basis warrants a different level of monitoring than one moving low-risk bulk freight, and knowing which of your vehicles fall into which category is the starting point for allocating security resources sensibly rather than evenly.

Cargo Risk Management

Cargo theft statistics paint an admittedly bleak picture for fleet managers, perhaps making it seem inevitable that criminals will target their fleet at some point. Despite this, a standout characteristic of the transport industry is that it is very good at constantly adapting and evolving. As such, in the area of cargo risk management, there are many modern solutions to cargo theft including:

Asset Tracking

Asset tracking is a way for fleet managers to accurately monitor and record the location, status, maintenance history and schedule, value, and ownership of the physical items being carried by a fleet. Asset tracking is achieved through the use of technology like RFID, barcodes, and GPS. The latter of which, affords fleet managers with real-time visibility over the cargo housed by their fleet, with sensors detecting if something goes wrong. Such visibility over assets is essential because it results in quick and reliable responses in cases of cargo theft.

Route Planning

Route planning is ubiquitous in fleet management, but particularly important as a preventative measure against cargo theft. Route planning in this context refers to defining routes for fleet jobs which are known to be secure, i.e., routes where there is little chance of theft occurring. The prerequisite for secure route planning is intelligence. For example, it’s beneficial for fleet managers to know that cargo theft increases during holidays, weekends, and while drivers are stationary. Further, there are organisations that can provide detailed accounts and reports related to relevant criminal activity. Incorporating such information into fleet routes directly reduces the likelihood of cargo theft.

Driver Training

The drivers that comprise a fleet of vehicles are the ones who experience cargo theft first-hand. Consequently, it’s only right that they should be fully prepared and trained for such incidents. Driver training encapsulates programmes designed to instruct fleet drivers on preliminaries for secure cargo pickups, deliveries, driving behaviour, stopovers, on-road control zones, and actions to take in the event of both suspected and actual cargo theft incidents. Guidance like this is integral to security risk assessments and prospective decision-making, and so vital to driver safety within the fleet management sector.

Cargo Theft Prevention from MICHELIN Connected Fleet

Cargo theft is primarily successful when it is unexpected and unanticipated. Yet, fleet managers may be inclined to believe that they are exempt from it. Although it is easier to not be cautious, cargo theft’s prevalence is unmistakable. And so, it’s a responsibility for fleet managers to be adequately prepared when crime is directed towards their vehicles.

We at MICHELIN Connected Fleet understand the severity of vehicle and cargo theft, especially in high-risk regions where vehicle hijackings often accompany cargo theft. While traditional solutions focus primarily on tracking and recovery, we take a proactive approach by offering preventative measures that address these issues before they occur.

To achieve this, we’ve implemented advanced security features that not only track but also actively protect your fleet. Our smart cameras provide real-time surveillance, enabling fleet managers to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and deter potential theft. The panic button gives drivers immediate access to emergency assistance, while the engine immobiliser prevents the vehicle from being driven away.

This is not a hypothetical feature list. Fadel Logistics, an international logistics company, needed exactly this combination, customisable security rules, stolen vehicle recovery, satellite backup monitoring when GPRS signal is lost, smart cameras, and an engine immobiliser, to meet its own strict security standards. Since implementing the solution, Fadel Logistics has seen measurable improvements in driver behaviour and reduced running costs through greater operational visibility.

If you’re interested in a solution principally intended to improve the security of both your fleet and its drivers, then be sure to make an enquiry into what our services can do for you today. For more reading material, feel free to browse our resources centre.

Frequently asked questions

How common is truck hijacking in South Africa?

SAPS recorded 327 truck hijackings in the second quarter of 2026, down from 414 in the same period the year before. Industry bodies caution that this decline may partly reflect under-reporting rather than a genuine reduction in risk, since many operators no longer report every incident.

Which province has the highest rate of truck hijacking?

Gauteng, consistently and by a wide margin. It has accounted for roughly two-thirds of national truck hijackings in every recent quarter of available data.

Which cargo types are most at risk of theft?

Cash, electronics, fuel, spirits, and medicines carry the highest risk, reflected in security costs for these categories running at around 4.1% of operating costs, compared with roughly 2.3% across all freight on average.

What technology helps prevent cargo theft?

Asset and vehicle tracking, real-time smart camera surveillance, driver panic buttons, and engine immobilisers all play a role, combined with route planning informed by known risk patterns such as provincial hijacking data. See our fleet telematics solution for how these capabilities work together.