News · Insurance & risk
Cargo Theft: Fake FedEx Drivers Take $680K Electronics Load
Two men posing as FedEx drivers used fake CDLs and papers to drive off with a $680,000 load in Delaware. See how to protect your freight.
Questions about how this affects your trucks? Talk to a licensed agent who ran his own authority.
What happened
Cargo theft with fake drivers hit a warehouse in New Castle, Delaware, on Sept. 14. Around 9:15 a.m., two men showed up in a tractor-trailer and said they were FedEx drivers. They handed over fake commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) and fake shipping papers. The warehouse released a loaded trailer with about $680,000 in electronics. The men hooked up and drove away.
Later that day, the shipper saw the papers were fake. Police found the tractor-trailer in Newark, Delaware, and arrested a 35-year-old man. State troopers say his CDL and his license plate were both fake. He is charged with theft over $100,000, forgery, conspiracy and using a fictitious registration plate. A charge is not a conviction. The second man has not been found.
Police want tips from the public. You can call Detective S. Marioni at 302-365-8388 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.
What it means for owner-operators
This was not a break-in at night. The thieves walked in during the morning, looked like real drivers and left with the freight. That is why cargo theft with fake drivers is so hard to stop. Everything looked right on paper.
Thieves who pose as a big company can pose as a small one too. If you pick up loads, expect more questions at the dock. Warehouses may ask for more proof that you are who you say you are. That is annoying, but it protects you and the shipper.
A stolen load can also mean a long claim, a broken contract with the shipper and a hit on your insurance record. Some cargo policies treat theft by fraud differently from other theft. The only way to know is to read your policy and ask your agent.
What to do next
Use these simple steps at every pickup:
- Keep your CDL, your company papers and your load number ready.
- Call the broker or shipper if anything about the pickup feels off.
- Never release or pick up a load for a stranger who has "papers" but no confirmed load.
- Learn how to check a freight broker before you accept a load.
- Read our guide to trucking insurance coverage and ask your agent if your cargo policy covers theft by fraud.
Original report
Written by TCZ Insurance Agency in our own words. Read the original for the full story.