Cargo theft remains a significant problem for freight networks in the United States. According to a March 2025 report from CarrierManagement, approximately 45 percent of cargo thefts in the U.S. now occur in California. The same report also noted a more than 60 percent increase in total thefts in the U.S. in the two years leading up to 2024. These trends slap together to suggest that organized theft is intensifying pressures on companies and their supply chain and logistics nodes. The value of losses is also on the rise: losses per reported cargo theft started to rise in 2022 to an average of about U.S. $28,000 in reported cases, reached U.S. $50,000 in reported average theft values in 2023, and then averaged about U.S. $42,000 in 2024.
In several thefts, the entire trailer or container is taken, either from depots or loading yards or during transport. Munic Re’s 2025 report stated that 41 percent of cargo thefts occurred during transit; materials stored in warehouses (21%) and other locations were also reported. In this context, cargo theft is mobile and often varies in its methods. Organized criminal groups will typically identify gaps in surveillance at dispatch, along transit routes, and in many operational processes. As the reported loss value steadily increases, private investigation firms are often called upon to assist shippers, insurers, and law enforcement in establishing responsibility and coordinating the recovery of stolen materials.
Najar Investigations, founded by Mohammed Najar in 2017, is a Southern California firm that offers cargo theft investigations. The firm emphasizes combining field expertise with technological tools to address mobile, well-equipped, organized theft crews that are aware of law enforcement tactics. While public documentation is limited, the firm’s stated methods include the use of identifiers, surveillance, social media intelligence, and cooperation with relevant authorities.
A key strategy in many cargo theft investigations is the analysis of identifiers. Identifiers may include partial license plates, vanity frame slogans, damage to trailers, trailer or container VINs, decal glue ghosts where branding once was, or headlight patterns. In many cases, Najar investigators begin by gathering all available footage and records from CCTV systems, shipping documents, and bills of lading. Video frames are stabilized and analyzed for unique signs. Those signs are matched across multiple incidents to uncover connections. Where identifiers align, it becomes possible to trace trailers or vehicles to specific locations or associates.
Social media intelligence also plays a role. After thefts, stolen goods or containers may appear in online marketplaces, forums, or niche trade groups. Posts, photographs, or listings sometimes expose goods or vehicles that match identifiers recovered from the crime scene. Investigators monitor public and semi-public postings, compare images, and track resale patterns. This method may provide leads that law enforcement can act on or that clients can use to make claims or recover items.
Collaboration with law enforcement is another component in many investigations. In Southern California, where cargo theft is frequent, private investigation firms that work with local, state, and federal authorities can help expedite recovery. Evidence packages that include stabilized video stills, identifier tables, link charts, and compiled reports are often necessary to support warrants, arrests, or seizures. This collaboration helps ensure that private investigations remain within legal boundaries and that findings are defensible if used in legal or regulatory proceedings.
Anonymized case studies from industry sources illustrate how investigations can lead to recoveries. In one case, a dry van carrying consumer goods was reported stolen in Moreno Valley. Investigators reviewed multiple camera angles, extracted a partial license plate, and noted a distinct bumper frame slogan. A listing matching lot numbers and pallet label patterns surfaced online a few days later in a region twenty to thirty miles away. When these visual identifiers matched previous loss incidents in the same industrial park, law enforcement executed a search warrant and recovered both goods and the vehicle involved.
In another case involving a large warehouse complex near Los Angeles, a theft ring used swapped vehicles and fake tags to move stolen trailers. Investigators linked trailer chassis IDs and container numbers to images posted on a forum. A comparison of gate logs, surveillance from surrounding properties, and shipping manifest anomalies provided enough evidence for authorities to recover a stolen container and arrest individuals reportedly involved in fencing operations.
These operations contribute to supply chain security by deterring theft, improving recovery rates, and encouraging stakeholders to adopt stronger preventive measures. Freight corridors near ports and logistics hubs are especially vulnerable. When firms adopt methods like those described above, there is often increased pressure on shipping companies to improve gate security, invest in camera systems that capture native-resolution footage, and audit delivery and pickup documentation more carefully.
CargoNet data for the second quarter of 2024 recorded approximately U.S. $68.5 million in stolen freight, with an average loss of nearly U.S. $150,711 per theft. The number of reported thefts was up by 33 percent compared with the second quarter of 2023. In Southern California, organized theft crews remain among the most prolific actors in such crimes. Those statistics underscore why private investigation firms specializing in cargo theft, especially in high-risk regions, may feature prominently in broader discussions of supply chain risk management.
In recent years, firm descriptions indicate that Najar Investigations offers licensed investigators specializing in cargo theft investigations. The firm maintains operations in California and Arizona and claims cross-border work in Latin America. While the public record does not include all client details or outcomes for verification, the combination of experience, legal compliance, and stated methods aligns with what industry analysts and insurers report as increasingly necessary in cargo theft response.
In a nutshell, the increasing scale of cargo theft in California, the rising value of losses, and the complexity of theft rings’ methods all make recovery and prevention more difficult. Investigation firms like Najar Investigations, using advanced identifiers, social media intelligence, video analysis, and strategic cooperation with law enforcement, are a growing part of the response infrastructure. Najar Investigations, founded in 2017 by Mohammed Najar, is one of the entities that appear in this space, applying these methods in Southern California and beyond.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based on available sources and industry trends. While efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the content, the details regarding Najar Investigations and its founder, Mohammed Najar, have not been independently verified and are presented based on publicly available information. Any opinions or statements made do not necessarily reflect the views of all stakeholders or organizations mentioned.
