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Cargo thefts of food, drinks and drugs inched up in 2013, report says

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Although U.S. cargo thefts remained at the same level in 2013 as in 2012, thefts of drugs and food and drinks increased, says a report issued Wednesday.

The number of U.S. cargo thefts remained steady at 951, according to the report issued by Austin, Texas-based FreightWatch International (USA) Inc. But the threat of cargo theft continues to grow because of cargo thieves’ increased organization and initiative says the report, “Supply chain Intelligence Center: Cargo Theft USA- 2013.”

Despite the leveling off, pharmaceuticals and food and drinks increased noticeably as the target of thieves, said the report.

In pharmaceuticals, the number of thefts increased by half to 33 in 2013 from 22, in 2012, said the report. At the same time, the average loss value increased by 14.2%, to $261,819 from $229,366, said the report.

The number of food and drink thefts increased by 34.4%, to 245 thefts from 2012’s 177, said the report. “This overall increase is likely due in part to the low security typically in place on Food/Drinks shipments,” said the report.

Analyzing thefts geographically, cargo thefts remained highest in number in California, increasing 13% to 259 in 2013 from 229 in 2012. This was followed by Texas, where thefts increased by 3.4%, to 123 from 119, and by Florida, whose total dropped by 13.1%, to 113 incidents from 130.