Success Stories

Summary: Last week, a theft of truck tires from Thompson, GA was reported to CargoNet. After gathering all of the information needed the CargoNet Command Center put out a Cargo Theft Alert. Which was promptly received by a Florida Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement (AgLaw) Officer.  The officer proceeds to investigate by patrolling through a nearby truck stop where he locates the abandoned trailer and cargo. The officer contacts CargoNet and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation with an update on the stolen trailer.   Following the update CargoNet reaches out to the victim member and notifies them that the trailer and cargo has been located and informs them that the FL AgLaw would like to pursue further via a sting operation hoping to catch the thieves. The member obliges and the officer initiates surveillance. Around 11 p.m., a 2011 white Volvo tractor-trailer connected to the container and left the truck stop traveling south on I-75.   With the assistance of the Florida Highway patrol, officers stopped the vehicle at the 423 mile marker near the exit of State Road 47 and the two male suspects are immediately taken into custody.   Following the arrest and recovery the two suspects are taken into custody and brought in for interrogation, when it is realized that the trailer is not coming up as stolen in NCIC. Without an NCIC entry, the police do not have the grounds to arrest the suspects and seize the trailer. The arresting officers reach out to CargoNet and speak with Keith Lewis to explain the totality of the situation. Keith explains that the reporting agency probably failed to list the trailer, due to the fact that is an intermodal trailer (container and chassis) which is sometimes confusing to NCIC Operators. Keith assures them that the trailer is in fact stolen. After speaking with Keith, the arresting officers proceed with the arrest of the two suspects and impound the trailer for safe keeping. In the morning, CargoNet liaisons with Georgia Bureau of Investigation to get the local Sheriff to correct the NCIC entry so the suspects can be charged.

Summary:  CargoNet was contacted by a patrol officer in a city jurisdiction in Ohio. The patrol officer had come across an abandoned flatbed trailer with no license plate or visible VIN.  The officer was able to locate a partial VIN underneath the flatbed, which CargoNet broadcasted along with pictures. The Command Center received dozens of e-mails and phone calls from law enforcement officers in Tennessee, California, Washington, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, but one Deputy from Washington State called a contact at the trailer manufacturer and obtained a possible full VIN. CargoNet matched the VIN to a theft claim from June of 2007 and helped the reporting agency return the trailer to the client, 7 years after the unit was stolen.

Summary: CargoNet received a call from an agency working with DHS-HIS requesting assistance identifying a piece of computer equipment obtained by a confidential informant.  Working with the vender, carrier and our broker client, CargoNet identified the piece as being from a FTL theft that occurred in December 2012.  According the confidential informant, approximately half of the load was at the suspects’ warehouse.  The identification of the stolen items has led to the expansion of this investigation into what is believed to be a significant criminal enterprise. 

Summary: CargoNet assisted Law Enforcement by notifying them that a subject they had an arrest warrant for was recently incarcerated in a neighboring state. After receiving information that the subject from the Humphreys County TN Sheriff's Office had been arrested with a full trailer load of stolen perfume in South Carolina was being held pending a bail hearing. Humphreys County TN Sheriff's Office was notified and was able to put a detainer on the subject before they could make bail.

Summary:  A few weeks ago, CargoNet was contacted by a member looking for help on a cargo theft from months prior. The manufacturer of the stolen cargo informed the victim carrier that they were receiving calls from customers all over the United States trying to register the stolen units. CargoNet’s member and the manufacturer had contacted the local police department numerous times about the theft, but never heard back from the assigned detective. The member was concerned the police department had no interest in investigating the case and contacted CargoNet to see if they could provide guidance. CargoNet engaged a state cargo theft task force regarding the new lead, got the case assigned, and provided investigative support to the agency.   CargoNet urges its clients to share details about not just cargo theft losses, but the follow-up investigation, too. CargoNet’s Command Center can provide support in a myriad of ways and is always available as a resource. 

Summary:  CargoNet received a fictitious pickup theft from a CargoNet member. The shipper company located in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, had great photos and a fingerprint of the suspect, which CargoNet referred to the California Highway Patrol. CargoNet learned that a known suspect was indeed the driver in this case as well as in two more fictitious pickups in Compton, CA and Santa Clarita, CA. CargoNet gathered enough evidence to get the California Highway Patrol, Cargo Theft Interdiction Program /San Bernardino County to launch a case.

Summary: CargoNet was contacted by LAPD stating that a search warrant was executed on a warehouse in Los Angeles, CA. The search warrant was executed and 3 suspects were subsequently arrested. The below listed products were present at the time of the raid. Some of the products were identified and recovered by querying the CargoNet system and through additional work with LAPD we were provided box pictures and lot codes, which were used to research and determine where the stolen products were shipped and who they were brokered to. The following products were recovered at the scene: 6 pallets of farm raised, tail on shrimp 16/25 which was fictitiously picked up on 8/5 in Anaheim, CA Energy drinks stolen from Ontario, CA • Natural foods frozen waffles Pineapple chunks, diced mangoes, and whole strawberries Various cuts and quantities of beef

Summary: CargoNet received  a report of a fictitious pickup occurring  in St Louis, MO. Immediately  CargoNet was suspicious of a relationship to a cargo theft ring out of the Chicago area. CargoNet worked   with the victim freight broker and the trucking carrier that had its identity compromised to identify more victim freight   brokers.  Surveillance and  correct and this ring out of Chicago, which was responsible for about 15 other fictitious pickups in the last two years, was involved. CargoNet was engaged with law enforcement on this group already and notified them of the most recent fictitious  pickups.  CargoNet's Command  Center supported the investigation ran by the FBI by collecting and organizing  information  from all  freight broker victims, running forensic  analyses, coordinating efforts   among multiple state agencies,  and providing leads using subject matter expertise on cargo theft and the supply chains.  In July, both drivers and the fictitious dispatcher responsible for these crimes were brought into custody by authorities.  Search warrants implicated the ring in the latest series of fictitious pickups as well as cargo thefts in the Chicago area dating back a year. CargoNet would like to recognize the incredible effort and teamwork by FBI   -­‐ St Louis, Illinois State Police, GMAT, Kentucky State Police, Bellefontaine Neighbors PD, New York State Police, NICB, and other fusion centers, state and local law enforcement.

Summary A 7:00 AM on Thursday morning CargoNet received a call from a member stating that they had a driver on a load from Port Wentworth, Georgia to Gaston Alabama.  The driver had a dispute with the owner and left the truck at a truck stop in Savannah, Georgia the product was fiber for a tire manufacturing plant. If the manufacturer didn't receive the product the plant would have to be shutdown. The local police wouldn't get involved because the trailer was not on NCIC. The GBI would not get involved because the trailer was not stolen it was located and viewed as a civil matter. CargoNet then proceeded to ask our member to conduct a three-way call with the local police department and CargoNet.  CargoNet spoke to the responding officer and explained the situation to her which helped her come to the conclusion that it was a theft by conversion. CargoNet then passed the conversation back to the member who was able to coordinate with the police to secure an acceptable tow yard to off load and then transport the load to manufacturer.

Summary: Last week, CargoNet was able to help law enforcement identify a victim and recover products stolen from 4 different thefts. All 4 thefts, one of electronics in Florida and 3 of various apparel in Washington, were on file in CargoNet's database and analysts were able to quickly match the information law enforcement had received to losses on file.   Three of the recoveries were out of state losses from which the product might have never been identified as stolen without the kind of bond between private industry and law enforcement that CargoNet facilitates. In all of the cases, CargoNet was provided detailed load information by the victims prior to law enforcement inquiring about the product, which greatly sped up the agency's ability to start working towards recovering the product. Total quantities and recovered values are still being calculated, but it is estimated to be in the 6 figures.