Attempted Pharma Theft

Date: 10/13/08

Location: Elkton, MD

Description: There was an attempted FTL cargo theft in Elkton, MD off I-95.

The driver stopped at the TA truck stop just north of Elkton, MD and went inside the facility for approximately 30 minutes. When he came out, he found his truck broken into and the engine running. There was evidence of the ignition having been hotwired. Looking at the trailer, there was evidence on the ENFORCER® Trailer Padlock to suggest that someone had tried to enter the trailer. The driver however was utilizing the ENFORCER® Air Cuff® Lock, which was still activated when he got back to his rig.  There was also an ENFORCER® ABLOY® Trailer Padlock on the trailer doors, which had prevented the perpetrator from actually entering the trailer.

Transport Security, Inc. works closely with a variety of law enforcement task forces to understand and control cargo crime.

Chicago Midwest Cargo Theft Initiative

In the Chicago area, the Midwest Cargo Theft Initiative (CTI) has been launched. Contact them by email for more information.

Los Angeles County Cargo CATs

In January 1990, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department started a new cargo theft investigative unit named Cargo CATs, the Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team (website). Cargo CATs is assigned to the Major Crimes Bureau of the Sheriff’s Department’s Detective Division, which oversees the team to ensure the maximum utilization of resources. The pro-active approach the Department has taken in the past with multi-jurisdictional programs to impact the transiet career criminal is the same approach that is now being applied to the ever increasing cargo theft problem throughout Los Angeles County and Southern California. The success demonstrated by Cargo CATs has proven that the surveillance and investigative abilities of a multi-jurisdictional team exceed that of any single agency. Since Cargo CATs began, it has recovered over $213.5 million in stolen property and made 1275 arrests, through January 1, 2006.

Memphis Cargo Theft Task Force (TAMCATS)

The Memphis Auto/Cargo Theft Task Force (ACTF) was formed in 1998 to address a significant crime problem involving the interstate transportation of stolen property, including motor vehicles, and major thefts from interstate shipments. The ACTF is currently comprised of officers and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Customs Service, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The primary objective of this task force is to reduce the number of automobile thefts, as well as cargo thefts, by the successful prosecution of known career criminals and their associates.

Miami-Dade Cargo Theft Task Force (TOMCATS)

The Tactical Operations Multi-Agency Cargo Anti Theft Squad (TOMCATS) (website) is comprised of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies including: the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
The TOMCATS conduct target-orientated investigations into organized groups, individuals, businesses, and other enterprises engaged in continuing criminal conspiracies pertaining to the theft, distribution and exportation of stolen cargo. Detectives use a large variety of investigative techniques to infiltrate criminal organizations, gather evidence, make arrests, and recover high dollar stolen cargo shipments. All truck hijackings that occur in unincorporated Miami-Dade County are assigned to the task force for investigation. The TOMCATS recovers approximately $30 million in stolen property each year.

New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit

The NJSP Cargo Theft Unit (website) is responsible for conducting criminal investigations and supporting the regional intelligence collection plan by collecting, evaluating, and disseminating intelligence data regarding cargo theft activity that affects and is related to the state of New Jersey. The Cargo Theft Unit responds to calls for assistance from other law enforcement agencies throughout the state and investigates individuals and groups engaged in cargo theft activity.