Cargo theft investigators recover over $5M in stolen property

Officers in Kentucky said they have shut down an organized cargo theft ring following an 18-month investigation.

On Tuesday, Dec. 19, Kentucky State Police announced its Vehicle Investigations Branch had ended a year-and-a-half-long investigation into an organized theft ring allegedly responsible for around $10 million in stolen freight.

“The KSP Vehicle Investigations Branch is a national leader in fighting organized cargo theft crimes,” Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said in a statement. “I’m proud of their efforts to combat a crime that targets high-value shipments by exploiting weaknesses in supply chains, causing substantial financial losses.”

According to police, investigators noted a rise in stolen freight throughout the state that specifically targeted the food and beverage industry, as well as an increase in incidents of copper theft.

During the 18 months, officers with the KSP opened 16 cargo theft investigations, resulting in 10 federal indictments and seven arrests. Officials recovered around $5.2 million in stolen property over that time.

Of course, cargo theft isn’t confined to just the Bluegrass State. Recently, a new law went into effect in North Carolina that increased the penalties for cargo theft.

The new legislation allows for the combining of offenses occurring over a 90-day period across the state. Depending on the total value of the goods stolen, thieves now face between 39 and 231 months in prison.

During discussion of the bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Danny Britt, R-Robeson, said that North Carolina ranks eighth nationally for the crime.

“We are one of the hot spots for cargo theft,” Britt testified.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has long advocated for stricter penalties for cargo theft. Doug Morris, OOIDA director of safety operations, said the new laws will go a long way toward deterring criminals.

“Many states continue to overlook the fact that a stolen load of goods could be worth tens of thousands of dollars and in some cases hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Morris said. “The new sentencing guidelines for North Carolina will undoubtedly be a deterrent for cargo-theft thieves.”

While cargo theft is a year-round concern for those in the trucking industry, the holidays bring additional opportunities for thieves to strike.

According to CargoNet, a Jersey City, N.J.-based company working with carriers and law enforcement to prevent cargo theft and aid in recovery efforts, there were 56 reported theft incidents reported last year between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2.

That spike in thefts is noted over time, as well. Over the past five years, data from CargoNet shows a total of 205 thefts were reported over that same 10-day span, with an average loss of $121,473.

“We expect that both strategic cargo thefts and theft of unattended, loaded conveyances will remain at elevated levels throughout the holiday period,” the company said in a recent theft trend report. LL