Thieves have target set on big-rig cargos

By Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer

Posted: 03/14/2009 06:54:41 PM PDT

They steal trucks parked on streets, break into yards and even hijack semis while driving down the freeway.

Cargo thieves use a variety of tactics to get their hands on merchandise they can sell. And detectives who investigate such cases have seen a spike in cargo thefts.

In 2007, the CHP’s Cargo Theft Interdiction Program handled 540 investigations statewide, arrested 91 people, found 438 commercial vehicles (tractors, trailers and box trucks) and recovered $14.29 million worth of stolen merchandise.

Last year, the four regional task force teams investigated 773 cases, made 164 arrests, recovered 546 commercial vehicles and got back cargo valued at $21.6 million.

Investigators doubt the bad economy triggered the increase and said cargo thefts go up and down.

The thieves pilfer a variety of merchandise. But detectives say electronics are a favorite target because the goods can be sold quickly.

Five men were arrested March 5 after Whittier police saw them breaking into a Target truck parked on a Santa Fe Springs street. The rig contained LCD TV sets. The suspects were loading 30 sets worth $15,000 into a stolen truck when arrested.

Cargo thieves aren’t your usual run-of-the mill crooks.

“You have to have certain skills to steal cargo,” said CHP Sgt. Sid Belk, whose CTIP team covers Los Angeles County and handles about 400 cases a year.

He said one would need someone who knows how to drive a truck, unhook a trailer and also is knowledgeable about the rules of the road when it comes to big rigs.

Most of the time, investigators said cargo thieves know what it is they are stealing. They get inside knowledge, understand the trucking and shipping industry and take advantage of it. They also may have a buyer already lined up.

“Many times they know what the load is,” said Lt. Tom Grubb of the sheriff’s Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team.

One case his team handled last year involved suspects who broke into a warehouse in Carson and stole $3 million worth of laptops which they hauled away in a truck and trailer.

“They actually stole the truck and the trailer to load these and took off,” Grubb said.

He said the laptops were recovered in San Bernardino County.

But it would be a mistake to say cargo thieves are the same. Sometimes they don’t know what they just swiped, which leads to abandoned trailers.

Authorities suspect that’s the case with the March 4 hijacking of a truck driver hauling 23,000 energy-efficient light bulbs on the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway.

Using two rigs, three men forced the driver to pull over near Whittier Boulevard in Whittier, tied him up and took off with $55,000 worth of the eco-friendly lights.

The tractor was found six hours later in Pico Rivera while the trailer with the cargo turned up March 5 in Rancho Dominguez. The crooks only took one box of the light bulbs.

No buyers apparently were interested in the booty.

ruby.gonzales@sgvn.com

(562) 698-0955, Ext. 3026

OCALA – A Miami man who called sheriff’s deputies Wednesday to report that the cargo he was hauling was stolen from a truck stop while he was taking a shower, was arrested for lying to officials and for cargo theft, according to officials.

Officials said Noel E. Ramirez, 39, called them from the Petro Truck Stop at County Road 318 and Interstate 75 claiming someone stole the 2007 freightliner semi-tractor and trailer he was driving. Ramirez said the load he was transporting from Miami to Laredo, Texas, was a half-million dollars worth of alcohol.

He told officials he he picked up the load Tuesday, then drove north on U.S. 27, stopping at South Bay, where he stayed from 5 until 11:30 p.m. He said he continued north on U.S. 27, stopping once near Interstate 4 to use the restroom. He said he arrived at the Petro truck center between 5:50 a.m. and 5:55 a.m. Wednesday.

Detective Erik Dice reviewed the semi’s tracking report and a device showed the last known stop was on Tuesday about 8:14 a.m.

Dice also reviewed the invoice of the trailer and noticed the load was1,950 Nintendo Wii consoles valued at $471,900, and 360 Nintendo Wii fit with balance boards worth $28,080.

The detective then reviewed a second tracking device, which was installed by the John J. Transport trucking company, and it showed the truck returned to Miami Tuesday night and was driven to several locations before returning to South Bay at 1:33 a.m. Wednesday.

It was later determined that Ramirez had no knowledge of the second tracking device.

The device showed the truck leaving South Bay and arriving near I-75 in Ocala shortly after 5:30 a.m. It also showed the tractor traveling along CR 318 and County Road 234 in Micanopy before arriving at near U.S. 441 and State Road 25 at 6:19 a.m.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies found the truck just south of Paynes Prairie around 8:16 a.m. The cargo was not found. Officials believe the cargo may be in the South Florida area.

Capt. Tommy Bibb, head of the county’s Cargo Task Force, said, “This was an elaborate operation by south Florida operatives to throw off Marion County law enforcement officials, but their scheme failed.”

Ramirez told Dice that after getting the load, he drove back to Miami to see his girlfriend, then declined to make any more comments.

He was taken to jail and charged with making a false report to law enforcement officials, cargo theft and criminal mischief.

Ramirez, who is originally from Cuba and lives in Hialeah Gardens in Miami, told the Star-Banner he knew nothing about the theft as he was being led to an awaiting sheriff’s deputy’s patrol vehicle.

If found guilty of theft charges in the case, Ramirez will lose his CDL license. The Department of Transportation will be inspecting Ramirez’s log book.

Police allege they caught West Hazleton man after he disabled firm’s alarm system.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

BUTLER TWP. – A West Hazleton man was arrested late Monday night by township police, who alleged he disabled an alarm system with plans to steal a tractor-trailer from a trucking company.

Police said in a news release they caught Victor Mayas, 38, of North Broad Street, carrying a case of beer from Martini Trucking on South Hunter Highway.

In arrest records, police allege Mayas conspired to steal a tractor-trailer containing cargo valued at $100,000 from the company on Jan. 12.

Mayas was charged with two counts of criminal trespass, and one count each of receiving stolen property, theft and criminal conspiracy to commit theft. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $10,000 bail.

According to police and the criminal complaint:

A gate alarm at the trucking company was disabled Sunday night, six days after the gate prevented a tractor-trailer from being driven off the lot after a person hotwired the tractor.

Police set up surveillance in the area and observed a man, identified as Mayas, park nearby in a parking lot. Mayas walked to the trucking company and police observed him going into trailers.

Police blocked Mayas’ vehicle as additional officers arrived at the trucking company. He was arrested when police saw him walking from the company carrying a case of beer.

Mayas admitted to police, according to the criminal complaint, that he “canvassed” the trucking company late Sunday night into Monday morning in an attempt to steal a tractor-trailer.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 27 in Central Court.