A $680,000 electronics shipment vanished from a warehouse in New Castle, Delaware, after two suspects allegedly posed as FedEx employees to collect the cargo. Delaware State Police later recovered the tractor-trailer and the full shipment at a parking area in Newark, while investigators traced the operation to fraudulent identification, shipping paperwork and a fictitious registration plate.
The investigation began after the suspicious pickup near Wilmington, Delaware. Delaware State Police arrested 35-year-old Dushatdaman Parihar of Manteca, California, on Sept. 15 in connection with the case.
Troopers located Parihar near the parked tractor-trailer at University Plaza in Newark. He was taken to Troop 2 following the encounter. A Justice of the Peace Court arraigned him and set a secured bond of $66,550.
Fraudulent documents were used to clear the shipment
At approximately 9:15 a.m. on Sept. 14, two men arrived at a business on River Road in New Castle using a tractor-trailer cab. They identified themselves as FedEx employees and presented driver’s licenses along with shipping documents authorizing the pickup of electronics valued at more than $680,000.
After attaching the cargo trailer to their tractor, the two suspects left the property with the shipment.
The business later discovered that the documents had been falsified. A caller working with the company subsequently located the equipment at University Plaza in Newark and contacted 911.
While officers were speaking with the caller, Parihar approached the tractor-trailer. Police said they discovered fraudulent credentials and a fictitious license plate during the investigation.
Charges filed after the cargo was recovered
Delaware State Police charged Parihar with felony theft involving property valued at $100,000 or more. He also faces charges of first-degree forgery, second-degree forgery and second-degree conspiracy.
Investigators additionally charged him with one count related to a fictitious registration plate.
Police recovered the trailer along with all of the electronics and returned the shipment to the business.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Unit are continuing to investigate the case. The official police announcement identifies a second participant but does not provide that person’s identity.
The Delaware State Police Public Information Office told FreightWaves that it had no additional information to release. Detective S. Marioni is accepting information related to the investigation at 302-365-8388.
Why it matters for freight security
The case highlights how cargo thieves can exploit routine pickup procedures by using convincing credentials, shipping records and vehicle documentation to gain access to high-value freight.
For transportation companies and shippers handling valuable loads, verifying driver identities, equipment details and dispatch records before releasing cargo remains an important part of cargo-security controls.
