December 31, 2025 - Authorities are investigating a major cargo theft after $400,000 worth of lobster bound for Costco stores was stolen in transit, according to logistics officials. The shipment, picked up earlier this month in Taunton, Massachusetts, was intended for Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota but never arrived at its destination.

Dylan Rexing, president and CEO of Rexing Companies, the Indiana-based logistics firm handling the shipment, said the theft was not random. “This theft wasn’t random. 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,” Rexing explained.

Investigators believe the culprits posed as a legitimate trucking company, using a nearly identical email address to trick the shipper into releasing the load. Chris Burroughs, president of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, told WJAR: “There was a dash in the email address, that was the only thing that was in addition. Everything else looked exactly the same to the legitimate company. And then this individual came in, took the load, and off they went with it, and who knows where it ends up.”

The lobsters, which were frozen rather than live, were diverted after leaving a Lineage Logistics facility in Taunton. Rexing said the incident represents a significant financial hit for mid-sized freight companies and reflects a growing trend of organized cargo crime rings targeting high-value goods such as seafood, electronics, and luxury items.

Global News reported that the shipment was picked up earlier this month but disappeared before reaching Costco warehouses. Authorities are now working with industry groups to track the stolen cargo and identify the perpetrators.

The case highlights vulnerabilities in the freight industry, where criminals exploit digital communication systems to impersonate carriers. Experts warn that similar schemes are becoming increasingly common, especially during peak holiday shipping seasons.