Feds: Cargo thief gets over 10 years in $1.5M theft ring that stole $230K in dimes
A Philadelphia crew targeted parked trailers while drivers slept. Group chats and bank surveillance helped investigators trace the stolen freight. The post Feds: Cargo thief gets over 10 years in $1.5M theft ring that stole $230K in dimes appeared first on FreightWaves .
A federal investigation has sentenced a cargo theft ring to over 10 years in prison for a $1.5 million theft operation targeting parked tractor-trailers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The criminal enterprise, operating from January to July 2023, stole various goods including frozen crab legs, televisions, and most notably, $230,000 worth of newly minted dimes.
One victim was left injured during the heist. Haneef Palmer, known as "Lew," received 121 months behind bars for his role in the scheme, which included conspiracy, Hobbs Act robbery, and theft of government money. He pleaded guilty to both incidents in March 2026. The thieves targeted unattended trailers overnight or while drivers were asleep, breaking into cargo areas using bolt cutters.
The stolen dimes were transported in large trash cans and left in parking lots, leading to their eventual recovery. Federal and local authorities collaborated to reconstruct the events through phone records, group chats, surveillance footage, and GPS data.
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