Verisk Analytics, a data analytics provider, has recently announced that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation-along with other law enforcement agencies-has used the investigative support and cargo theft database of Verisk’s CargoNet® business to facilitate the arrest of multiple cargo thieves responsible for millions of dollars in cargo theft over the past several months. Those efforts also included the shutdown of one of the major cargo theft rings in North America.
The collaboration with CargoNet can be highlighted by multiple cases:
$500,000 Tobacco Recovery – While serving an arrest warrant, law enforcement investigators found a large amount of dunnage containing cigarillo shipping labels and a key and passcode to a local storage facility. Following these findings, CargoNet’s senior crime analyst confirmed to the investigators the existence of a cigarillos theft in the CargoNet system, allowing for a search warrant to then be obtained for the unit. The search revealed approximately 750 cartons (15 pallets) of cigarillos identified as stolen in Winter Heaven, Florida, during a cargo theft on July 24, 2015. The estimated retail value of the recovery is approximately $500,000. The South Florida Cargo Theft Task Force (SFCTTF) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) Major Theft Unit (MTU) played major roles in this collaborative effort.
Data and Analysis Lead to a Multistate Cargo Theft Ring Bust – CargoNet played a significant role in the arrest of the person charged with stealing two trailer loads of copper from Bremen, Indiana. CargoNet provided data and analysis to investigators involved in the investigation and united police agencies in New York, North Carolina, Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The arrest was significant because the individual was a leader behind the creation of several fraudulent trucking carriers.
Investigative Work and Use of Tracking Device Lead to Arrest of Group Directly Responsible for at Least Eight Cargo Thefts – CargoNet assisted in a year-long investigation that concluded in the arrest and recovery of a CargoNet member’s stolen cargo. The recovery was the direct result of the member’s use of a tracking device that led law enforcement to the stolen cargo. Following the recovery, law enforcement worked with CargoNet to link the recovered goods directly to eight other cargo thefts already in the CargoNet system.
“We’re excited about having a proven, reliable, and valuable resource like CargoNet available to law enforcement when conducting our investigations,” said Special Agent John Cannon of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. “By calling CargoNet, we were able to save a significant amount of time, because within a matter of hours CargoNet was able to help connect all the dots between the theft victim, the victim’s insurance company, and law enforcement,” added Cannon. “CargoNet’s assistance allowed our supervisors and case managers to reallocate precious investigative resources to other pressing tasks.”
“We’re extremely honored to receive this recognition from law enforcement and hopeful these successes will resonate with both law enforcement and the supply chain community,” said Anthony Canale, general manager, CargoNet. “We believe this illustrates the value CargoNet provides, and we’re optimistic this will encourage others to support the CargoNet program. Without the assistance of a number of agencies, we would not have been able to accomplish these tasks.”
The following are among the agencies that assisted in the above investigations: Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), South Florida Cargo Theft Task Force (SFCTTF), Indiana State Police, Illinois State Police, New York State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office, National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Kentucky State Police, Louisville (Kentucky) Metropolitan Police Department, Wythe County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Department, Virginia State Police, Fayette County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department, Oklahoma City (Oklahoma) Police Department, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.