It was just before Christmas 2025 when a truckload of premium lobsters—worth about $400,000—rolled out of a cold storage facility in Taunton, Massachusetts. These weren’t your average crustaceans; they were headed straight for Costco shelves in Illinois and Minnesota, ready to star in holiday feasts across the Midwest.
The driver showed up on time, paperwork in hand, looking every bit the professional hauler. But as the truck vanished down the highway, so did the GPS signal. Turns out, the “driver” was part of a slick crew using spoofed emails and burner phones to impersonate a legit carrier. They snatched the shipment clean, marking the second big seafood heist from the same spot that month.
Meanwhile, back in Minnesota, Sarah was planning her New Year’s surf-and-turf dinner. She hit Costco expecting those big, beautiful lobsters on ice. Instead, she found empty tanks and a sign saying “Sold Out—Supply Issue.” Grumbling, she grabbed frozen shrimp instead… and noticed the price tag was a few bucks higher than last year. Across the store, the electronics aisle had raised tags too, and even basics like beverages cost a little more.
Little did Sarah know, her pricier groceries were part of a much bigger ripple. Cargo theft like this isn’t just a one-off prank—it’s a growing problem fueled by organized rings. These crimes cost the U.S. economy an estimated $15 to $35 billion every year, forcing companies to replace losses, hike insurance, and tighten security. In the end, those extra costs get passed right along the supply chain… straight to shoppers like us.
So next time you’re pinching pennies at the checkout, remember the lobsters that got away. A little more vigilance in the freight world could keep more treats—and savings—on our tables.