Reward Fights Cargo Theft

Cargo thieves may soon have more to worry about than just stealing a trailer load of clothes or computers.

M.S. Carriers of Memphis, Tenn., and a major national retailer recently posted a $25,000 reward for the recovery of a load of apparel stolen Aug. 3 from Manning, S.C.

The hot merchandise was recovered a week later in Miami, where officers from a special cargo theft task force also found goods from several other heists.

Lt. Ed Pitow of the Miami-Dade County Police Department said although the reward was not paid in this case, he welcomed the offer.

“This kind of thing loosens lips,” he said.

The truckload carrier will offer rewards for information on stolen loads as a means of fighting crime.

On another front, major retailers are joining forces to combat the rising tide of cargo theft.

Mark Schnupp, a senior investigator for Dayton Hudson Stores in Richmond, Va., has organized the Retail Industry Cargo Security Committee.

The committee has three goals:

• Increase awareness of cargo theft and share ideas.
• Evaluate current programs and evaluate methods of stopping theft.
• Work with law enforcement personnel, insurance companies and transport providers to support antitheft measures.

For the full story, see the August 23 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.