A whole new kind of freight theft is sweeping across America. The heist has stolen a whole shipment of toys, worth $1 million, as three trucks were diverted by scammers posing as truckers.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Smart Sketchers are a high-tech toy made by a London-based firm called Flycatcher. These electronic toys are designed to help kids draw by projecting an image. However, amid the Christmas season, when demand is at its highest, thieves stole three trucks containing the valuable toy.
According to the company, they were set to ship 12,600 of the toys, valued at around $110 each. Three trucks were set to leave the depot and make their way to distributors. However, none of the trucks made it to their destinations.
The three stolen trucks were designated to companies, posing as well-known freight companies. They managed to pick up the jobs and continue the illusion. The toys were loaded onto the three trucks, and stolen, never turning up at their agreed destination.
Two of the shipments went to Los Angeles, and the location of the third still isn't known. However, it is suspected that it may be in New York.
Goods From Three Stolen Trucks Appearing Online
The Flycatcher company is the only one selling these particular toys. However, they have been popping up online as a result of the three stolen trucks of goods. They are all over Amazon at a deeply discounted price.
The company has issued a total of 14 cease and desist lawsuits to online retailers. They have no doubt that these are the stolen goods from the missing shipments. The blow to the company is huge, not only in lost stock but also in their predicted goods value at retail.
Shay Chen, owner of Flycatcher, spoke out about the devastating result of the three stolen trucks. "We can't afford what's happening," he said. "We are losing so much money in the middle of the holidays." Without a doubt, this heist could be fatal for the company, leaving them with unrecoverable losses.
According to reports, strategic theft like this is blowing up. It is up 1,445% this year from 2022 levels. This is a huge increase, in fact, it contributes a huge 33% of all cargo theft.
