Posted on 10/22/2013 12:14:49 PM PDT by Kartographer
To steal huge shipments of valuable cargo, thieves are turning to a deceptively simple tactic: They pose as truckers, load the freight onto their own tractor-trailers and drive away with it.
It’s an increasingly common form of commercial identity theft that has allowed con men to make off each year with millions of dollars in merchandise, often food and beverages. And experts say the practice is growing so rapidly that it will soon become the most common way to steal freight.
A generation ago, thieves simply stole loaded trucks out of parking lots. But the industry’s widening use of GPS devices, high-tech locks and other advanced security measures have pushed criminals to adopt new hoaxes.
(Excerpt) Read more at stlouis.cbslocal.com ...
Wasn’t this a “Rockford Files” episode? (Actually, two episodes)... Geez, was it REALLY almost 40 years ago?
That’s what comes from having TV’s in the prisons and inmates sitting around all day watching reruns!! ;-)
Put a “lo-jack” type device in the trailer.
Send private security to fetch it - AND the tractor trailer used to steal it.
Problem solved.
Yeah, a good one with Rocky.
I blame MeTV.
“sitting around all day watching reruns”
Maybe we should pipe in “Little House on the Prairie” or
Sesame Street or
Mork and Mindie.
How about Car 54 Where Are You???
“You think someone who would work that hard to steal would work at something honest”
Take your pick. 170 loads at $1000 each or one load for $170,000 ...
That’s nothing, I know a few guys posing as politicians that stole an entire country.
“You think someone who would work that hard to steal would work at something honest. “
I had a business partner who turned out to be a thief. His psychology was such that he’d leave honest dollars on the table to steal nickels. If you work for somebody you may make a wage, but not thousands of dollars at a time. If you’ve been to prison they won’t hire you regardless. I believe too that many people like the planning and the screwing as much or more than the money. It’s a game. In addition, you can do all the drugs you want as a criminal, but the wage slave, especially with a CDL, must be drug free.
I think the issue is more complicated than that. Dispatch is releasing cargo to drivers for delivery on destination assignment sort of orders. In other words, a trucker comes in to dispatch with some creds and needs a load for a return trip, dispatcher assigns contract.... and away goes the cargo. It might not be until the stuff doesn't get to where it was suppose to go that they realize it's been stolen. And all the info given about the trucker is bogus.
I'm guessing as I only know enough about the industry to be dangerous. But I would agree, once you realize it's missing, the trucks/trailers should be pretty easy to find. They might be empty by the time you find them, but...
Yes, I believe it was. And Yes, REALLY.
And...Yeah, me too, dude.
It’s interesting that the story never mentions the groups who are perpetrating this form for crime.
Muzzies maybe?
Illegals of many stripes?
The undoing of most crooks is that they get greedy and repeat the score until they’re caught. I knew a guy who figured out how to sell counterfeit concert tickets and cleared $20,000 in a couple of months; he kept doing it after the concert operators noticed so he’s in jail now.
You are right. Lojacks would only retrieve empty trailers. If they have fake IDs and paper, then it is going to be hard to catch them. They’ll have a separate set of papers for each job, even. I wonder if they even fake the license plates? After all, 20 tons of almost any cargo will more pay for forged papers, plates, etc.
I guess the need a security list of “trusted drivers.” Papers and face match the list - they get a load. Otherwise, no load.
“The undoing of most crooks is that they get greedy and repeat the score until they’re caught. I knew a guy who figured out how to sell counterfeit concert tickets and cleared $20,000 in a couple of months; he kept doing it after the concert operators noticed so he’s in jail now.”
Most crooks accept a short prison stay as cost of business. Back on the street again in a few months.
“You think someone who would work that hard to steal would work at something honest.”
They’re led by example. Right from the top.
We are becoming Argentina.
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