Cargo thefts fell 33% in Q3. Cosmetics thefts rose.

What happened

Verisk CargoNet's third-quarter report, released November 4, counted 547 cargo theft incidents across the US and Canada between July and September, down 33% from a year earlier. Losses still climbed: $230.1 million for the quarter, up 12%, and $718.9 million for the first nine months, up 39%, because the average documented loss jumped 72% to $448,456. Cosmetics moved against the headline, with 14 incidents in the quarter, up from 9, while personal care and beauty as a whole slipped from 44 to 39. Fictitious pickups, where a criminal poses as the carrier and drives off with the load, were about one in four incidents, and CargoNet warned that activity could rise in the fourth quarter as facilities close for the holidays and run with reduced staff.

What it means for buyers

Fewer thefts, but larger and more deceptive ones. For a beauty reseller the risk is less a broken truck seal and more a pallet released to the wrong driver, or a supplier whose "stock" was never in a warehouse to begin with. The weeks between now and January are when that risk peaks, exactly when holiday inventory is on the road.

How we handle it

Our stock sits in our own warehouse in West Park, Florida, and nothing leaves it until the invoice is paid and confirmed. Pickups are by appointment with a copy of the invoice and a photo ID. Shipped orders go out with more than 20 US carriers or with the carrier you send, and the tracking number or BOL is emailed to you and shown in your buyer portal, so you know who has your pallet. If a carrier damages goods, we help with the claim paperwork. Details on Shipping and pickup and How it works.