AI Tracks $60,000 in Missing Cheese: How One Retailer Caught the Thief
A U.S. grocery retailer has recovered critical evidence in a $60,000 freight theft case using YMX Logistics’ yard-management technology, which identified the truck and driver behind five short shipments of cheese. The system’s computer-vision tools tracked trailer movements at the retailer’s Arizona distribution facility, providing video evidence that supported the retailer’s claim.
Five loads of cheese shipped from a Minnesota supplier arrived at the retailer’s facility with fewer pallets than listed on the purchase orders. Investigators initially struggled to determine which carriers or drivers had handled the shipments, until YMX’s team intervened. Using shipment details, they searched the yard-management system, identified the relevant carriers, and pulled gate footage from the dates in question. The video showed the trailers and drivers associated with the shipments, allowing investigators to link the five loads to a specific truck and driver.
How YMX’s technology works: Retailer
YMX Logistics’ yard-management system relies on a network of cameras and machine-learning software to monitor truck movements at distribution facilities. At the gate, cameras record every vehicle entering and leaving, while the software captures license plates, trailer numbers, and carrier details. This data is automatically fed into YMX’s platform, creating a searchable digital record of all truck movements. The system goes beyond basic surveillance.
However, the footage did not reveal where the pallets went missing or who removed them. The shortages could have occurred at any stage, during loading by the supplier, in transit, or after the shipments reached the retailer’s facility. Despite this limitation, the system provided enough evidence to support the retailer’s claim, though YMX was unable to disclose who the claim was filed against or its final outcome.
The broader impact of cargo theft
The case highlights the growing threat of cargo theft, which has become a major supply-chain security issue. According to Verisk CargoNet, theft incidents in the U.S. and Canada decreased by 26% in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2025, with 677 recorded cases. However, estimated losses more than doubled, reaching $304.6 million, a stark reminder that while fewer thefts are occurring, the financial impact of each incident is rising.
Food and beverage freight has been particularly hard hit. CargoNet recorded 708 thefts in this category in 2025, a 47% increase from the previous year. These figures underscore the need for advanced security measures like YMX’s system, which can help companies mitigate losses and improve traceability.
The retailer at the center of the case is one of the top five grocers in the U.S., with more than 2,000 stores across over 30 states and $145 billion in fiscal 2025 sales. The company is piloting YMX’s yard operating system at multiple distribution facilities, including the Arizona site involved in the case study, which handles 600 to 800 truck movements daily.
For retailers and logistics providers, the stakes are high. Systems like YMX’s offer a way to enhance security, improve operational efficiency, and reduce the risk of theft.
While the YMX system cannot prevent theft entirely, its ability to provide detailed, searchable records of truck movements gives investigators a powerful tool for tracing missing freight. As cargo theft continues to rise, such innovations will be essential for companies seeking to safeguard their supply chains and recover losses.
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