I’ve spent more than two decades working with trucking professionals across our state — men and women who get up early every day to ensure Illinois residents have access to food, medicine, equipment and supplies they need for their day-to-day lives.
What many Illinoisans don’t know is that there’s a increasing threat to the essential work: cargo theft.
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee — on which Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., served as chairman and is now a ranking member — convened last month for a much-needed hearing on this spiraling epidemic that threatens the safety of truckers and the integrity of the supply chain across the Prairie State and other parts of the country.
Cargo theft has always existed in some form, but it has grown more organized and sophisticated, and it is hitting closer to home more than ever.
These crimes, once considered isolated incidents, have skyrocketed. Reported strategic cargo thefts, which involve deception, fraud, cybertheft and other tactics, have surged more than 1,500% since 2021 and are estimated to cost the supply chain up to $35 billion annually.
The number is likely higher as there’s no mandatory reporting requirement, as well as no national cargo theft database.
Last summer, Lithuanian national Aivaras Zigmantas was federally indicted for allegedly stealing more than $9.5 million in goods, including liquor and commercial-grade copper in the Chicago area.
Although cargo theft often conjures images of cut locks and smashed windows, the Elk Grove Village man’s alleged heists were quite elaborate.
Zigmantas, according to the indictment, falsely posed as a representative of real and fictitious carriers and brokers who involved with the transport of shipments across state lines. He would then use these aliases to divert freight deliveries to alternate warehouses where he would then steal them, according to authorities.
Some cargo theft cases involve old-school ruses like breaking into a parked trailer or a secure facility. Others employ highly advanced technology.
For example, fictitious pickups regularly occur along Interstate 70 and Interstate 55, which are two of the most trafficked freight corridors in the country. Thieves exploit digital freight platforms, impersonate real companies and use stolen identities to hijack entire loads — often without ever touching a lock on a container or truck.
Chicago is a prime target for these thieves because of its status as a major national transportation hub with extensive highway, rail and intermodal networks.
The city’s high volume of freight traffic makes it a frequent stopover point, increasing opportunities for theft during transfers or layovers. As a result, cargo thefts — averaging a loss of more than $200,000 — in the Chicago area are becoming increasingly common — and damaging.
To stop these offenses, the Illinois Trucking Association strongly urges Congress, including Sen. Durbin, to pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a bipartisan bill that would give law enforcement officials the tools and federal coordination they need to go after these criminal networks.
Currently, fragmented jurisdictions and outdated legal frameworks allow these crimes to slip through the cracks. The proposed legislation would establish a dedicated center at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to streamline investigations, facilitate cross-agency communication, and support state and local law enforcement in tackling these complex cases.
The trucking industry is an engine for the Illinois economy. Nearly 50,000 primarily small, locally owned businesses employ over 350,000 Illinoisans to get goods where they need to be on time every day.
When our industry is hurting, everyone is hurting. Consumers, local communities and businesses are bearing the costs of cargo theft through higher prices at a time of already painful inflation. There are also health and safety risks associated with the reintroduction of stolen goods — especially food, beverages and pharmaceuticals— into the supply chain.
The recent Senate hearing presents a pivotal moment for lawmakers to help stop cargo theft in its tracks. We cannot let organized crime dictate the flow of goods in our country. Passing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act will show our country stands with truckers, law enforcement and the communities we serve.
Let’s protect the people who keep America moving.
Matthew Hart is the executive director of the Illinois Trucking Association.