Shipment of lobster worth hundreds of thousands stolen on way to Costco

(MENAFN) A shipment of lobster valued at approximately $400,000 was taken while being transported to Costco stores in Illinois and Minnesota, according to reports.

Dylan Rexing, president and CEO of the logistics company handling the delivery, stated on Saturday that the driver is suspected of posing as an authorized carrier before making off with the shipment. The lobsters, which were not alive, were in transit to Costco locations in the two states, as stated by reports.

Authorities are investigating the theft, while the freight company reviews how the impersonation occurred.

“This theft wasn’t random,” Rexing said. “It followed a pattern we’re seeing more and more, where criminals impersonate legitimate carriers using spoofed emails and burner phones to hijack high-value freight while it’s in transit.”

“For a mid-sized brokerage like ours, a $400,000 loss is significant,” he added, noting that such losses force difficult decisions and increase costs throughout the supply chain, ultimately affecting consumers.

Costco did not immediately provide a comment, according to reports.

“Brokers are on the front lines of this problem, but we need federal agencies to have modern enforcement tools to keep pace with organized criminal networks,” Rexing warned. “Until that happens, these thefts will continue to disrupt businesses and impact everyday prices.”

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