NEWS: Porterville man arrested after cargo theft sting

BY NADIA PEARL
The Fresno Bee May 8, 2014 

A Porterville man was arrested for cargo theft on Thursday morning after a sting.

A multi-agency team arrested Robert Blackwell, 35, after watching him break into a locked tractor trailer around 1:30 a.m in Tulare County. The trailer was bait, stuffed with thousands of dollars worth of cargo.

When Blackwell, who was on probation, tried to drive away with the loot, authorities swooped in for the arrest.

Investigators later searched Blackwell's home and found more stolen property from other cargo thefts.

The sting was initiated after a company had 15 tractor trailers, carrying millions of dollars worth of cargo, looted in the last 18 days around Tulare County. Investigators say they believe others may have assisted Blackwell, and the investigation is continuing.

The Tulare County Regional Auto Theft Taskforce worked the case. It consists of investigators from the California Highway Patrol, Visalia Police Department, Exeter Police Department and the Tulare County District Attorney's Investigators Office.

The reporter can be reached at (559) 441-6659 or npearl@fresnobee.com

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