Profile of a Theft Ring
The people who make up a typical truck cargo theft group generally consist of the following:
Fingerman:
Supplies information to the gang as to the location of the truck and trailer to be stolen, describing the vehicle
and its cargo, location at the terminal or route of travel. This includes time of departure, schedule of stops and
time of arrival. The fingerman is almost always an employee of the company to be victimized, or a close
associate of a company employee.
Spotter:
After obtaining the information from the fingerman, the spotter locates the truck to be stolen and follows it in his
car. If he discovers “heat” in the area and feels they may be alert to theft, he signals this information and the
truck will be abandoned. If all goes well, he will follow the stolen vehicle to the “drop”, a warehouse, garage or
sometimes barn.
Drivers:
These are the individuals who actually do the stealing. Generally, they are experienced truck drivers, some
currently employed as line drivers. The money involved, weighed against the low risk of a “setup” theft, makes
the offer very attractive.
Fence:
Without the fence, all truck and cargo thieves would be on their own disposing of stolen goods. While this can
be done, most thieves lack the contact necessary for wholesale disposal of stolen parts or cargoes. In the case
of parts themselves, most items are sold to truck parts specialty houses, wreckers and fleet operators. These
persons later claim to have had no knowledge of the stolen nature of the property they purchased.
With respect to stolen goods, the type of fence depends on the nature of the cargo. Restaurants and smaller
stores generally handle liquor, meat, grocery, and produce thefts. The value of the property is generally
discounted heavily from its true worth. Clothing, electronics, tvs and electrical appliances are frequently sold
online in places like Ebay (though Ebay is cracking down on this type of transaction) and low tech places like so-
called discount houses, surplus stores and flea markets.
Following the removal of the stolen tractor and trailer to the pre-selected warehouse or barn, the load is
removed for distribution. The tractor and trailer are either dismantled, the identity changed, or they are
abandoned at another location.
Frequently, the cargo is loaded into rented van trucks and driven to the fence. Great care is taken to make this
phase appear to be a common transport of material. For instance, in one case, 10 stolen forklifts were
transported in rented van trucks. A bicycle was tied on the back of each truck. From the outside appearance –
a family on the move. On the inside – stolen property.
The people who make up a typical truck cargo theft group generally consist of the following:
Fingerman:
Supplies information to the gang as to the location of the truck and trailer to be stolen, describing the vehicle
and its cargo, location at the terminal or route of travel. This includes time of departure, schedule of stops and
time of arrival. The fingerman is almost always an employee of the company to be victimized, or a close
associate of a company employee.
Spotter:
After obtaining the information from the fingerman, the spotter locates the truck to be stolen and follows it in his
car. If he discovers “heat” in the area and feels they may be alert to theft, he signals this information and the
truck will be abandoned. If all goes well, he will follow the stolen vehicle to the “drop”, a warehouse, garage or
sometimes barn.
Drivers:
These are the individuals who actually do the stealing. Generally, they are experienced truck drivers, some
currently employed as line drivers. The money involved, weighed against the low risk of a “setup” theft, makes
the offer very attractive.
Fence:
Without the fence, all truck and cargo thieves would be on their own disposing of stolen goods. While this can
be done, most thieves lack the contact necessary for wholesale disposal of stolen parts or cargoes. In the case
of parts themselves, most items are sold to truck parts specialty houses, wreckers and fleet operators. These
persons later claim to have had no knowledge of the stolen nature of the property they purchased.
With respect to stolen goods, the type of fence depends on the nature of the cargo. Restaurants and smaller
stores generally handle liquor, meat, grocery, and produce thefts. The value of the property is generally
discounted heavily from its true worth. Clothing, electronics, tvs and electrical appliances are frequently sold
online in places like Ebay (though Ebay is cracking down on this type of transaction) and low tech places like so-
called discount houses, surplus stores and flea markets.
Following the removal of the stolen tractor and trailer to the pre-selected warehouse or barn, the load is
removed for distribution. The tractor and trailer are either dismantled, the identity changed, or they are
abandoned at another location.
Frequently, the cargo is loaded into rented van trucks and driven to the fence. Great care is taken to make this
phase appear to be a common transport of material. For instance, in one case, 10 stolen forklifts were
transported in rented van trucks. A bicycle was tied on the back of each truck. From the outside appearance –
a family on the move. On the inside – stolen property.
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