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Tag: theft

  • Dutch police arrest three suspects after the theft of a priceless golden helmet from Romania

    Dutch police arrest three suspects after the theft of a priceless golden helmet from Romania

    Dutch authorities on Wednesday arrested three suspects after the theft of a priceless ancient golden helmet that is considered a cultural icon of Romania and had been on display in a small museum in the Netherlands. There was no sign that the intricate helmet dating back some 2,500 years had been recovered.

    The theft of the helmet and three golden wristbands also on display sent shockwaves through the art world, and devastated Romanian authorities who thought they were loaning the items to a nation where security for museums was paramount.

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    Dutch police said in a statement that the suspects were being interrogated and “more arrests are not excluded.” They did not elaborate.

    This undated image provided by the Drents Museum shows the golden Cotofenesti helmet. (Drents Museum via AP)

    It gave a glimmer of hope to the Drents Museum, which has come under criticism, especially from Romania, for not applying sufficient security.

    “We are awaiting further developments with bated breath. The recovery without damage would be, for all, a fantastic next step. Not only for us, but also for the Romanian population,” the museum said in a statement.

    The Cotofenesti helmet is one Romania’s most revered national treasures from the Dacia civilization. It was on display on the final weekend of a six-month stint when it was stolen.

    Romanian President Klaus Iohannis called the artifacts of “exceptional cultural and historical importance” for Romanian heritage and identity, and that their disappearance had “a strong emotional and symbolic impact on society.”

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    It was a heist that “even in our most pessimistic dreams, we would not have believed possible,” said the director of Romania’s National History Museum, Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu.

    The helmet’s fame and dramatic studded appearance mean it could never easily be sold, raising fears the thieves were after the gold itself. But melting it would reduce the treasure’s cultural and historical value. Gold stands at about 85,000 euros ($89,000) per kilo, and the helmet is estimated to weigh slightly less than that.

  • Cargo theft soars to record in 2024

    Cargo theft soars to record in 2024

    Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

    Cargo theft hit a record high in the U.S. and Canada for the second consecutive year, and the trend is expected to continue as criminal enterprises have become more sophisticated in their methods.

    Verisk CargoNet’s annual analysis released this week found that cargo theft surged 27% from 2023 to 2024, hitting a record 3,625 reported incidents last year with an average value of $202,364 per theft. All told, the losses are estimated at more than $454 million.

    Cargo theft hit a record high in the U.S. in 2024 according to CargoNet, which expects the trend to continue. (CargoNet / FOXBusiness)

    The study found California and Texas saw the greatest surge in theft activity, with heists jumping 33% in the Golden State and an eye-popping 39% in the Lone Star State.

    Trailer burglaries and full trailer theft continued at elevated levels, particularly in major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and New York City, according to the findings. Dallas County, Texas, led with a 78% spike in reported incidents. Los Angeles County, California – traditionally a high-activity area – saw a 50% increase.

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    CargoNet reported notable shifts in the type of goods stolen last year, too. While 2023 saw frequent theft of engine oils, fluids, solar energy products and energy drinks, 2024 marked a strategic pivot by criminal enterprises. New targets included raw and finished copper products, consumer electronics and cryptocurrency mining hardware.

    trucking

    Cargo theft surged to another record high in 2024. (iStock / iStock)

     The analysis also revealed increased targeting of specific consumable goods, including produce like avocados and nuts, along with personal care products ranging from cosmetics to vitamins and supplements, especially protein powder. 

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    CargoNet Vice President Keith Lewis explained in an interview that there are two major types of cargo theft: The first is the traditional method of thieves stealing directly from a truck or train, and the other method is through fraud, which often involves manipulating online shipping exchanges to redirect entire loads using false information like fake companies.

    He said that cargo theft – often conducted by criminal enterprises overseas – is up by a staggering 1,445%, while traditional theft is up by around 20%. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he explained, cargo theft overall is up by some 90%.

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    A cargo ship and tugboat sail through the Cocoli Locks at the Panama Canal, in Panama, on August 12, 2024. Lewis says one rising method of cargo theft involves criminals redirecting shipments using fraud. (Arnulfo Franco/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    Lewis, a former state police officer, says that federal law enforcement does not have the resources to adequately address the issue, so the burden of solving it falls back on the logistics industry to come up with solutions. 

    “But solutions cost money, and that’s the pushback,” he told FOX Business. “And also, when you change the way we’re moving freight, you slow down the supply chain. And when you slow down the supply chain, that could possibly cripple the infrastructure. It also generates a higher cost of moving goods.”

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    Meanwhile, the surge in thefts is contributing to higher prices for everyone.

    “Everybody’s paying for this now,” Lewis said. “The rates go up, the insurance goes up, the costs go up, the freight rates, what I’m charging the shipper goes up. The shipper takes that and puts it back in their cost, and they raise the price, and you and I pay for it every time we make a purchase.”