The bizarre theft of a truck filled with $400,000 worth of live lobsters heading to Costco stores may be part of a larger heist ring, authorities say.
The lobsters were bound for Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota, but thieves hijacked the truck before it could make its deliveries, according to Fox Business.
Dylan Rexing, the CEO of Indiana-based logistics business Rexing Companies, told WFLD the shipment was picked up in Taunton, Massachusetts, but then disappeared. His company was transporting the lobsters.
Rexing said the heist may be part of an organized cargo theft ring that has been targeting high-value products.
“This is a huge issue across the country,” Rexing told WFLD. “It directly impacts businesses and contributes to higher prices for consumers.”
Rexing said losing $400,000 worth of product is going to force him to forgo hiring for a stretch and will also affect bonuses he hoped to pay his employees.
The FBI is investigating the theft, but no arrests have been announced.
Homeland Security Investigations announced earlier this year that it would attempt to crack down on retail crime. Through it’s “Operation Boiling Point,” investigators hopes to cut down on the cargo thefts, which can account for between $15 to $35 billion in annual losses for companies.
According to federal authorities, the theft groups are organized and typically target cargo ports of entry, truck stops, freight trains and other spots in the supply chain where they can gain access to goods while in transit.
The agency said that the individuals stealing from cargo haulers may not be directly linked to groups that steal directly from retail stores, but said they may be linked “to common fences or fencers that are purchasing stolen goods.”
The thefts have caught the attention of the Department of Transportation as well. In September, the agency requested information from law enforcement, transportation agencies, freight carriers and other experts on how it can better protect U.S. cargo from theft.
“Cargo theft is a growing concern for the U.S. transportation system, costing the economy billions annually. These crimes involve opportunistic ‘straight thefts’ of trailers, containers, and loads at truck stops or multimodal distribution hubs and highly coordinated operations conducted by organized criminal networks,” the DOT said in its request. “Both categories create significant economic losses, disrupt supply chains, and in some cases fund broader illicit activities such as narcotics trafficking, counterfeiting, and human smuggling.”
