Philadelphia’s Cargo Theft Ring: Philly Police Moving In

Police Fight Philadelphia’s Cargo Theft Ring

Philadelphia police are working hard to stop a cargo theft ring. This group is behind nearly a dozen thefts and break-ins over the past month. Since June 26, they have been linked to nine cargo thefts and two attempted break-ins. The suspects have been seen in a white SUV, but no detailed descriptions or videos have been provided.

A Large Crime Group

Captain John Ryan of the Northeast Detective Division spoke at a news conference. “It’s definitely a crime ring, a group of people,” Ryan said. “We’ve made arrests of members of this group. We believe it’s the same group. We’re still working. It’s just widespread. There have been indictments. We’re working with federal and other state partners.”

This group targets tractor-trailers parked near food distribution centers. Sometimes, they strike while drivers are asleep in their cabs. Investigators have not yet found out where the stolen goods are being sold.

Recent Theft and Ongoing Efforts

The latest theft involved 12 pallets of meat from a parked tractor-trailer in southwest Philadelphia. This is similar to other heists in the northeast part of the city over the past few months.

CargoNet, a New Jersey-based company that helps fight cargo theft, has noticed a rise in organized thefts across the U.S. “Organized cargo theft rings in Southern California continue to be the most prolific threat, but theft by deception schemes are growing in popularity across the continental United States, particularly targeted pilferage schemes and non-delivery of whole shipments,” the company reported. They expect these methods will keep increasing.

New Laws to Fight Philadelphia’s Cargo Theft

Lawmakers are also noticing the problem of cargo theft. The Safeguarding our Supply Chains Act is a new bill aiming to improve coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.

Rep. David G. Valadao, R-Calif., is the main sponsor of the bill. He explained the seriousness of organized crime in cargo theft. “Small-time theft is not a huge issue. I mean, it is, but it’s not as big of an issue as what we’re dealing with right now,” Valadao said. “It seems like it’s getting to a point where you’ve got a lot of organized crime behind it, and that’s something that we’re trying to focus on with this piece of legislation.”

If the bill is approved, it will set up the Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. This center would collect and analyze data related to supply chain fraud and theft. It would focus on areas and transportation methods experiencing high volumes of organized crime. The bill would also create a Supply Chain and Theft Task Force led by HSI and the FBI.

Looking Ahead

Philadelphia police and lawmakers are working together to fight organized cargo theft. With rising incidents, it is crucial to have coordinated efforts between law enforcement and new laws to tackle this growing problem.