Lobster Shipment Worth $400,000 Stolen in Sophisticated Heist

A massive shipment of live lobsters worth $400,000 has vanished en route to Costco warehouses in Illinois and Minnesota. The theft represents a significant loss for the supply chain industry and highlights growing concerns regarding organized crime targeting freight.

According to supply chain executives, the perpetrators used sophisticated identity theft techniques to divert the load. This event is the latest in a series of high-value food thefts that have plagued the logistics sector over the past year.

The theft occurred over the weekend as the lobsters traveled from Lineage Logistics in Taunton, Massachusetts, to retail giant Costco. Dylan Rexing, the president and chief executive of Rexing Companies, detailed the mechanics of the deception.

Rexing explained that the thieves did not use force, but rather identity theft tactics. They reportedly stole the domain of a real carrier, spoofed email addresses, and physically changed the name on the side of the truck to match a legitimate business. This allowed them to pick up the high-value cargo without raising suspicion.

Rexing described the operation as "organized crime at the finest." He expressed uncertainty regarding whether the specific loss is covered by insurance but confirmed the event has a large impact on the business.

This lobster theft is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing upward trend. The American Trucking Association (ATA) has labeled the rise in cargo theft as "explosive."

Statistics provided by the ATA reveal that strategic cargo theft has risen by 1,500% since the first quarter of 2021. The average value of a single theft now exceeds $200,000.

Thieves are utilizing advanced technology to exploit the supply chain. The ATA notes that criminals track shipments, identify routes, and disrupt communication systems. They often trick motor carriers into delivering freight directly to them or strike poorly secured distribution centers.

The financial consequences of these thefts extend beyond the immediate loss of goods. The ATA estimates that thieves targeting freight shipments cost the American economy up to $35 billion annually.

During the first quarter of 2025 alone, 505 cargo thefts were reported. Rexing warned that the cost of the stolen lobsters will likely be passed down the supply chain, resulting in higher prices for consumers.

Recent years have seen other notable food and beverage thefts, including:

• 100 cases of snowcrabs worth $30,000 stolen in Philadelphia (2024).
• 24,000 bottles of Guy Fieri's Santo Tequila worth over $1 million going missing (2024).

The theft of the $400,000 lobster shipment underscores the vulnerability of modern logistics to sophisticated fraud. As criminals adopt more advanced methods, the industry faces mounting pressure to secure the supply chain. With costs rising and theft statistics climbing, the burden of these losses continues to shift toward the consumer.