Before it was the State of Mexico, now it’s Puebla: the red light for cargo theft.

T21 Media — Tue, 13 May 2025 22:14:14 +0000

History seemed to have been written. If there was one place where truckingwas under constant threat, it was the State of Mexico. Statistics repeated it year after year, maps confirmed it, and truckers knew it from the first kilometer, but something changed.

At the start of 2025, Puebla, the state that used to be a few lines lower in the reports, was listed at the same level. Literally, the same percentage of thefts as the State of Mexico: 19 percent . A figure that sounds technical in reality, but on the roads, it reeks of fear, according to the Overhaul report for the first quarter of 2025 (1Q25).

No one saw it coming so clearly. While the Bajío region recorded slight declines and Guanajuato made headlines with its vulnerable industrial corridors, Puebla grew . In just one year, it doubled its share of robberies nationwide, going from being a transit point to becoming a frequent destination for crime.

Source: Overhaul

Guanajuato, on the other hand, presents a more defined narrative. With 11%of cargo thefts nationwide, it became the state with the third highest incidence during the first quarter of 2025.

Unlike Puebla, the crime map here does have clear coordinates: two corridors account for more than half of the crimes, according to the report. The first, along the Querétaro-León Highway (MEX-45D), in the municipalities of Apaseo el Grande, Celaya, and Juventino Rosas, accounts for 61% of the cases.

The second, on the Querétaro-San Luis Potosí (MEX-57D) highway, extends between San Luis de la Paz and San José Iturbide. The geographic concentration offers, at least in theory, the possibility of a more focused response.

Source: Overhaul

Crime patterns reveal a finely tuned logic. Organized crime doesn’t just act: it calculates . Thirty-one percent of robberies occur between 6:00 PM and midnight , as night falls. Another 28% occur between 6:00 AM and 12:00 PM , just as the units begin their routes.

Source: Overhaul

In the first quarter of 2025, 82% of cargo thefts occurred between Mondays and Fridays . The peak of criminal activity occurred from Tuesday to Friday, with 69% , according to Overhaul.

Source: Overhaul

And these aren’t improvised attacks. 62.6% of incidents occur while the vehicle is moving , while 36.8% occur when the vehicle is stopped, often in high-risk areas such as roadside shelters or poorly patrolled roads.

Source: Overhaul

The type of stolen cargo also reflected clear priorities. Food and beverages accounted for 34% of recorded thefts , leading the way. This is an attractive market due to its ease of resale and low control.

Source: Overhaul

Given this scenario, the Overhaul report also proposed ways to mitigate the risk. The main recommendation is that traditional surveillance is not enough; a combination of technology and strategy is required .

Overhaul suggested that all cargo units transiting the country have physical and electronic security measures , as well as making trips during the day , when visibility allows for reduced vulnerabilities.

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Before it was the State of Mexico, now it’s Puebla: the red light for cargo theft.