Air Cargo Eye reports that air cargo thefts were up 10% in 2018 and that in 2017 there were 2,880 reported cargo theft incidents resulting in losses of over $105 million.

Here are two examples of air cargo theft in 2017, according to Air Cargo Eye:

“In February, thieves escaped with rare 15th and 16th century antique books valued at more than $2.3million after breaking into a facility at London’s Heathrow Airport. The books were waiting to be airfreighted to the USA.”

“In another major cargo theft incident from last year, another crime at an airport location saw thieves masquerading as police officers whilst using what were reported as ‘police vehicles’ intercepting a cargo of $1.7million of banknotes shortly after it arrived on a flight at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport last March.”

Insurance and risk management provider TT Club recently called cargo theft “one of the most significant causes of disruption in the supply chain and claims cost to the business.”

Here’s one more alarming statistic: Incident Information Service (IIS) of the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), says incidents of cargo crime in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA) have soared and are now averaging five incidents per day that are worth nearly $8 million in losses.

And it’s not just electronics and valuable items that are being stolen, the food and beverage as well as household products industries are also seeing increased cargo thefts.