North Indy News

In a recent column published in The Washington Times, U.S. Senator Todd Young highlighted the growing issue of cargo theft and its implications for national security. According to Senator Young, cargo theft has been on the rise since 2020, reaching unprecedented levels.

He cited an incident involving PFL Logistics, a company based in Evansville, Indiana, which lost $60,000 when a shipment was stolen last October. This case exemplifies a broader trend affecting businesses across the United States.

Senator Young described "cargo theft" as encompassing large-scale theft operations targeting the shipping and cargo industries. He noted that with the increase in e-commerce, this type of crime now involves sophisticated groups from countries such as China, Eastern Europe, and Mexico. These criminals not only hijack trucks and rob rail cars but also exploit vulnerabilities in online systems to deceive businesses.

Homeland Security Investigations estimates that annual losses due to cargo theft range from $15 billion to $35 billion. These costs are often passed on to consumers as retailers raise prices to cover their losses.

Senator Young emphasized that current measures are inadequate to address this problem effectively. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration lacks sufficient protections against fraudulent actors and cannot impose civil penalties for violations of safety or commercial regulations. At the state level, cargo theft is often underreported or misclassified as simple property crime.

As chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee overseeing this issue, Senator Young advocates for collaboration between Congress, federal agencies like the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, and private sector entities to combat these crimes.

The subcommittee held a hearing in February focused on addressing cargo theft through improved safeguards for businesses and law enforcement preparedness. Solutions discussed included examining catalysts that enable such crimes and modernizing protection measures for consumers.

Senator Young stressed that tackling this evolving threat requires efforts from multiple angles involving Congress, federal agencies, local law enforcement, and private sector stakeholders. He concluded by calling for an "all hands on deck" approach to protect American supply chains and national security.

Senator Todd Young has represented Indiana in the Senate since 2017 and serves on several committees including Finance; Commerce; Science & Transportation; Small Business & Entrepreneurship; and Intelligence.