At a Glance
- $400,000 worth of lobsters stolen en route to Costco stores.
- Driver impersonated a legitimate carrier, hijacking high-value freight.
- A rare orange lobster was rescued and returned to the sea.
Why it matters: The theft shows a growing trend of freight hijackings that raise shipping costs and ultimately hit consumers.
A $400,000 shipment of lobsters destined for Costco stores in Illinois and Minnesota vanished after a driver posed as a legitimate carrier, according to Rexing Companies president Dylan Rexing. The incident underscores a rising pattern of freight thefts that inflate supply-chain costs.
The Theft and Its Motive
Rexing Companies, a mid-size brokerage, reported that the lobsters-none alive-were on the way to Costco when the theft occurred. Rexing believes the driver impersonated a legitimate carrier and stole the seafood.
Dylan Rexing said:
> “This theft wasn’t random,” Rexing said. “It followed a pattern we’re seeing more and more, where criminals impersonate legitimate carriers using spoofed emails and burner phones to hijack high-value freight while it’s in transit.”
- Impersonation via spoofed emails and burner phones.
- Targeted high-value freight.
- Pattern increasing.
Impact on the Supply Chain
For a brokerage like Rexing, the $400,000 loss is significant and forces tough decisions that ultimately raise costs across the supply chain, which consumers pay for. This cost increase is felt by consumers.
Dylan Rexing added:
> “For a mid-sized brokerage like ours, a $400,000 loss is significant,” he added. “It forces tough decisions and ultimately drives up costs across the supply chain – costs consumers ultimately end up paying.”
Dylan Rexing continued:
> “Brokers are on the front lines of this problem, but we need federal agencies to have modern enforcement tools to keep pace with organized criminal networks,” he said. “Until that happens, these thefts will continue to disrupt businesses and impact everyday prices.”
| Item | Value | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| Lobster shipment | $400,000 | Costco (Illinois & Minnesota) |
| Rescued lobster | 1-in-30-million orange | Returned to sea |
The rescued lobster was found in a seafood market in New York and returned to the sea by Humane Long Island.
Key Takeaways
- $400,000 lobster shipment stolen via impersonated driver.
- Theft part of rising freight hijack pattern.
- Loss forces higher supply-chain costs, impacting consumers.
The incident highlights a growing freight-theft problem that could drive up consumer prices unless stronger enforcement tools are deployed.
