Semi Truck Theft in Midland: Fired Driver Accused of Keeping Rig

What happened

A semi truck theft case out of Midland, Texas, is a warning for every small fleet. A trucking company in Midland fired one of its drivers at the end of August 2026. The report says the driver never gave the company truck back. CDLLife reported the case on Oct. 20, based on reporting by NewsWest 9.

Here is the timeline from the report. On Aug. 28, the truck's GPS was removed and left in Odessa, Texas. On Aug. 30 and 31, the company sent written notices. They said the truck had to come back within 10 days.

The truck did not come back. Detectives used Flock license plate reader cameras to search for it. By Sept. 9, the cameras placed the truck at Highway 44 and Interstate 20 in Georgia. On Sept. 29, the company reported the truck was still missing.

The driver now faces a third-degree felony theft charge. The charge covers property worth $30,000 or more but less than $150,000. Bond was set at $100,000. The truck is worth about $52,000. These are accusations. The driver has not been convicted.

What it means for owner-operators

Most of us worry about strangers stealing a truck. This case is different. The person had the keys and knew the truck. That is called an inside job, and it is hard to stop once the truck is gone.

The GPS is the key detail. Once the tracker was pulled out, the company lost the easiest way to find its truck. The cameras helped, but weeks went by.

If you run two or three trucks with hired drivers, this matters to you. A truck sitting in another state is a truck that is not earning. You still have payments, insurance and loads to cover. And every day that passes makes recovery harder.

The good news: there are simple steps that make an inside theft much harder.

What to do next

• Plan the day you let a driver go. Get the keys and the truck back the same day, at your yard if you can.
• Keep a list of every key, fuel card and log-in each driver has. Shut them off when the job ends.
• Pick a GPS tracker that sends you an alert if it is unplugged or loses power.
• Use a hidden second tracker or an engine kill switch on expensive units.
• Put the rules in writing: who can drive the truck, where it parks and how it comes back.
• Report a missing truck to police right away. Do not wait to see if it shows up.
• Learn what pays when a truck is stolen or damaged in our guide to physical damage coverage.
• Adding or removing drivers? Read add a driver to truck insurance so your policy matches who is behind the wheel.

Questions about protecting your trucks? Call TCZ Insurance Agency at 956-526-6727.