Cook County Sheriff’s Police led a 24-hour nationwide operation targeting cargo theft networks across multiple jurisdictions. The National Supply Chain Blitz took place Sept. 23-24, according to an operational plan provided by Cook County.
The operation brought together federal, state and local authorities, railroad police and private security organizations. Participating teams coordinated enforcement activity and intelligence-sharing across jurisdictions in an effort to identify stolen freight and the networks moving it.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations participated in the operation, along with Illinois State Police and the Chicago Police Department. Railroad partners included Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and CSX.
The private-sector participants included CargoNet, TAPA, Overhaul, LPRC, Class8 and 3SI Security Systems.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office directed the operation under Sheriff Tom Dart, with Commander Michael Ware serving as incident commander. Cook County’s Cargo Task Force, Organized Retail Crime Unit and Community Safety Team were also involved.
Officials described the effort as the nation’s first coordinated operation specifically focused on cargo theft.
$635,000 in stolen cargo recovered
The operation resulted in arrests and the recovery of approximately $635,000 worth of stolen cargo, according to Cook County. Authorities have not yet disclosed the number of people arrested, while final statistics from participating agencies remain pending.
A broader summary is expected once those figures have been compiled.
Thirty stolen transformers represented approximately $600,000 of the recovered property. Investigators found the equipment Sept. 23 at a facility in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
According to investigators, someone posing as a legitimate company had used a fraudulent bill of lading to facilitate the shipment. The transformers had moved through several cross-dock facilities before being located.
One of 30 stolen transformers recovered during the National Supply Chain Blitz. The shipment was valued at approximately $600,000. (Photo: Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
Cook County worked with the Fort Worth Police Department in Texas during the investigation. The Lawrence Police Department also assisted after authorities located the equipment.
Investigators are continuing to examine the fraudulent documentation and the movement of the shipment. No arrest or criminal charge has been reported specifically in connection with that case.
Sharing intelligence across jurisdictions
“Criminal networks don’t respect jurisdictional lines,” Ware said in the release. He described how thieves can “move stolen freight before any single agency understands what’s missing.”
The operational plan called for surveillance at rail yards, highways and other freight corridors. Investigators had access to resources including license plate readers, cameras and tracking technology.
Ware also founded the Illinois Cargo Theft Coalition, an organization designed to connect investigators, prosecutors, railroad police and supply chain security professionals.
Membership in the coalition requires an application and vetting process. The group provides a network for professionals working on cargo theft issues across both the public and private sectors.
Ware created the organization to address crimes that frequently extend beyond the boundaries of a single jurisdiction.
The National Supply Chain Blitz operational plan outlines participating agencies, deployment areas and resources used during the Sept. 23-24 operation. (Image: Cook County Sheriff’s Office)
Why it matters
Cargo theft networks can exploit the handoffs between carriers, warehouses and jurisdictions to conceal stolen freight and make investigations more difficult.
Coordinated operations such as the National Supply Chain Blitz give investigators additional opportunities to track those movements, share intelligence and identify stolen shipments before the trail disappears.
