FreightWatch Emergency Response Center Recovers $500K in Retail Electronics

With only FSNtracks’ signal to guide them, the FreightWatch Emergency Response Center team mobilized law enforcement agencies across jurisdictional lines to coordinate recovery of a $500,000 load of electronics, and maintain apprehension of the suspects.

Stolen from the electronics company’s parking lot in North Chicago around 10 p.m. on the night of June 20, the heisted load traveled for over an hour before the legitimate driver discovered the theft and notified dispatch. Within minutes of being alerted of the theft, FreightWatch Emergency Response Center pinpointed the load’s location—it was proceeding south through Jasper County, Indiana. Over the next several hours, the ERC recovery team interfaced with the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police for Jasper and Lafayette counties to identify and apprehend the stolen load as it crossed county lines in Indiana. Since the trailer’s license plate number was not at hand, the ERC team had only FSNtracks GPS data to verify that law enforcement had apprehended the correct truck.

“The stolen cargo was traveling on a major interstate with a high volume of traffic including commercial vehicles,” says a trooper with the Indiana State Police. “The tracking device played a key role in locating and determining which vehicle to stop.”

While law enforcement surrounded the truck, blocked off the freeway, and began negotiations with the suspects, the ERC team provided another valuable benefit to the electronics company and law enforcement—retaining the suspects. To detain and arrest the suspects, Indiana State Police needed a theft report proving that the truck contained stolen merchandise. Using the connections of FreightWatch personnel, the ERC team was able to get the Chicago Police Department to expedite processing of the theft report in the middle of the night.

Furthermore, FreightWatch’s understanding of cargo crime syndicates was useful in explaining to officers on the scene why the suspects refused to exit the truck’s cab, and why they would not answer questions. FreightWatch recognized characteristics of the theft which suggested a link to an organized crime group out of Miami, Florida, and with this information the Indiana State Police convinced the local judge to revoke bail for the suspects, ensuring that they would not flee prosecution after posting the $10,000 bonds—a sum that organized crime groups are willing to pay to ensure that arrest does not lead to extended interrogation.

“FSNtracks allowed our clients at the electronics company and FreightWatch investigators to track the truck’s location in real time while at the same time we all phoned into a conference call to keep everyone up-to-date,” says Rigo Garcia, theft recovery expert with the ERC.

“FSNtracks enabled FreightWatch and arresting authorities to stay focused on the stolen trailer while critical police reports were being prepared in the originating jurisdiction,” says Bill Games, President of Freight Security Net. "With the recovery of this one load, FSNtracks has paid for itself for many years to come."  

About FreightWatch
Freight Security Net (FSN) and FreightWatch International (USA) are each subsidiaries of the FreightWatch Group (FWG), an international logistics security agency. FreightWatch is expert in identifying threats and vulnerabilities to high-value supply and distribution chains. FreightWatch develops and implements custom loss-reduction programs that protect the products of high-value manufacturers, third-party logistics service providers, and their insurers. Specifically, FreightWatch tightens in-transit security for at-risk cargo such as electronics, computers, tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, fashion apparel, and cash. With operations in nine countries, FreightWatch Group is uniquely positioned to deliver both regionally and globally.

Bill Games
President , Freight Security Net (FSN)
(512)329-0292
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