Official robbery figures do not reflect reality: truck drivers

The National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) and the National Chamber of Cargo Transportation (Canacar) believe it is necessary to review the way in which the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System reports robbery against transporters, because this year's figures show a decrease that does not reflect reality, which has even become more violent.

According to data from last May, there were 505 robberies in Mexico, 26% less than the previous year (the cumulative number from January to May was 22% lower than the same period in 2024, from 3,415 to 2,653).

In the context of the 25th National Forum on Freight Transport, ANTP Executive President Leonardo Gómez emphasized that, together with its members, including Pepsico, Bimbo, Femsa, Alpura, DACERO, and La Corona, efforts have been made to prevent the aforementioned crime, using technology, for example, but it has not been sufficient.

“Every time I ask the transporters who serve us or our partners about robbery, they say no, that the rate remains high and, unfortunately, is becoming more violent. However, the statistics provided by the authorities are there. We don't want to say they're incorrect; what we are asking is that we review how each type of incident is being classified, because when a person dies, it's classified not as robbery but as something other than robbery. Perhaps that's changing the statistics,” he said.

From his perspective, the current good relationship with authorities at various levels of government will allow the issue to be adequately addressed. "We have an incidence of internal theft, and this indicates that it doesn't correspond to the decrease reported by the authorities. Other specialized organizations also report that thefts are on the rise, so it's necessary to demonstrate the reality of this issue with facts and data," added Leonardo Gómez.

Canacar reports more violence

For his part, the president of Canacar, Miguel Ángel Martínez, considered that the data showing a nationwide decline in truck theft is not "a news story" for his members, as they persist and are becoming increasingly violent, threatening the safety of truck operators.

The states in the country where thefts are most prevalent are: the State of Mexico, Puebla, Guanajuato, Jalisco, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Veracruz, and Tlaxcala.

ANTP's executive president, Leonardo Gómez, said that efforts have been made to prevent crime using technology, but it hasn't been enough.