A wave of high-value seafood thefts has hit New England, with criminals making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of lobster, oysters, and crab in a series of sophisticated heists. The incidents, occurring within weeks of each other, highlight a growing and costly problem in the freight and logistics industry.
The Trio of Costly Thefts
The first incident occurred on November 22 in Falmouth, Maine. Authorities from the Maine Marine Patrol reported that someone stole 14 cages full of oysters from an aquaculture site in Casco Bay. The oysters, many of which were full-grown and ready for market, along with the cages, were valued at approximately $20,000.
"This is a devastating situation for a small businessman," stated Marine Patrol Sgt. Matthew Sinclair, underscoring the impact on local aquaculture.
Roughly 160 miles away in Taunton, Massachusetts, two more brazen thefts took place. First, on December 2, a shipment of crabmeat vanished after leaving the Lineage Logistics warehouse. Then, just ten days later on December 12, a truckload of lobster meat destined for Costco stores in Illinois and Minnesota was stolen in a highly elaborate fraud.
A Sophisticated Criminal Operation
Dylan Rexing, CEO of Rexing Companies, the broker who arranged the lobster pickup, revealed the intricate details of the December 12 theft. The criminals impersonated a legitimate trucking company to carry out the heist.
"The carrier we hired impersonated a real carrier," Rexing explained. "They had a spoofed email address. They changed the name on the side of the truck. They made a fake certified driver's license. It's a very sophisticated crime."
Rexing added that police informed him about the earlier crab theft from the same Lineage Logistics warehouse. He noted that while this type of cargo crime has been an issue for over a decade, it has significantly worsened in recent years. "It happens every day, multiple times a day," he warned.
A Growing National Problem for the Supply Chain
Chris Burroughs, president of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, categorized such freight theft. The lobster heist falls into the first type, involving impersonation of a real trucking firm. The second, known as strategic theft, often uses phishing emails to infiltrate computer systems and get paid without physically stealing goods.
"This is a massive growing problem that needs to get addressed," Burroughs emphasized.
Both experts believe the stolen lobster, given its short shelf life, likely ended up being sold quickly to restaurants or other buyers. Rexing stressed that the ultimate victims of such crimes are everyday consumers. He pointed out that these criminal networks don't just target seafood.
"Whether you eat seafood or not, they're stealing other items. They're stealing items to build your cars. They're stealing items that go into computers," Rexing said. "Ultimately, that cost gets thrown to the consumer."
The Taunton Police, Lineage Logistics, and Costco did not respond to requests for comment on the ongoing investigations. The incidents serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in modern supply chains and the increasing sophistication of cargo theft rings.
