Another lengthy federal prison sentence has been handed down in connection with a Philadelphia-area cargo theft operation that stole more than $1.5 million in merchandise from parked tractor-trailers. Haneef Palmer, 33, of Philadelphia, who also used the alias “Lew,” was sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in the ring.
The group was active from January to July 2023, federal prosecutors said. Members would generally target empty trailers overnight, or break into trucks while drivers were sleeping. They used bolt cutters to break into cargo areas and transfer the stolen merchandise into waiting vehicles and then sold the goods locally.
The stolen cargo included frozen crab legs, Samsung televisions and newly minted U.S. dimes. One of the robberies turned violent and a truck driver was injured.
The $230,000 Dime Robbery And Refrigerator Robbery
Palmer also pled guilty to a commercial refrigerator robbery that took place on April 1, 2023. During the theft, members of the group attacked and injured the driver, the Department of Justice said.
Twelve days after, the operation was centered on the brand new dimes. The coins are worth more than $230,000 and were stolen after they left the Philadelphia Mint, on their way to Florida.
Investigators later learned that crew members used large trash cans to get the dimes into vehicles waiting nearby. The parking lot was littered with thousands of coins and others were later found in a box truck.
The evidence collected in the investigation helped authorities piece together how the group worked. Phone records, group chats, surveillance footage and GPS data all helped to piece together the thefts and identify the participants.
In the investigation there was striking evidence of the stolen cash as found. After media attention to the theft, one conspirator allegedly wrote, “We did it!” One photo showed a person lying on stolen dimes in a pickup truck. Banks’ surveillance cameras also recorded deposits of thousands of the coins.
Federal sentence and restitution.
On Sept. 10, federal prosecutors announced Palmer’s sentence. U.S. District Chief Judge Wendy Beetlestone sentenced him to 121 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $1,080,786.44 in restitution. He also will be under supervised release for three years following his prison term.
In March 2026, Palmer entered a guilty plea following a superseding indictment filed in December 2024. He was convicted of conspiracy, robbery affecting interstate commerce, federal money offenses and five counts of theft from interstate shipments. He also admitted to theft of freight.
The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and the Philadelphia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Bowerman and Christopher Diviny.
A broader theft operation
Palmer is not the only person involved in the operation who faces federal punishment. FreightWaves reported June 25 that Salahudin Reddy was sentenced to 94 months imprisonment for his role.
Reddy’s case involved two separate crab-leg thefts in April 2023. In another case, the ring also stole Samsung televisions worth more than $360,000.
All in all, the operation targeted more than 10 victims, highlighting the scale and organization of the cargo theft network.
Why This Matters
The case points to the risks truck drivers face when freight is targeted while the trucks are parked or while the drivers are sleeping in their cabs. Cargo theft is a supply chain security and financial issue, but it can also be a direct threat to drivers.
For carriers, shippers and transportation pros, protecting freight is increasingly about driver safety and cargo security being treated as one and the same risk-management challenge.
