LA County DA Warns Cargo Thieves and Fencers: 'We Are Watching You'

Warning to Cargo Thieves and Fencers

• 🎯 Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has issued a stern warning to those involved in organized cargo and retail theft.
• 💡 The DA's office is actively pursuing a major fencing operation involving cargo theft, with charges anticipated soon.
• ⚖️ The crimes are expected to carry maximum sentences of state prison time.

Impact of Cargo Theft

• ⚠️ Cargo theft is not a victimless crime, impacting real businesses and their employees.
• 🚢 It affects Los Angeles County's reputation as a reliable port city for goods entering the country.
• 🛡️ The DA's office aims to assure businesses that goods passing through Los Angeles will be protected.

Law Enforcement's Strategy

• 🔍 Law enforcement, including LAPD, port police, and Union Pacific Police, is working collaboratively to combat cargo theft.
• ⚡ The focus is on dismantling the entire vertical hierarchy of cargo theft, from those stealing goods to the fencers.
• 💰 Stolen goods are not for personal use but for resale and profit, making fencers a primary target.

Targeting Fencing Operations

• 💻 A significant fencing operation was recently targeted, seizing over $4.5 million in goods.
• 🌐 Law enforcement is actively monitoring online marketplaces (Amazon, Facebook, eBay) used by fencers to sell stolen items.
• ⛓️ The strategy involves tracking stolen goods to identify fencers and then tracing back to the individuals who supplied them.

Message to Criminals

• 🚨 A clear message is sent to those stealing goods directly from rail lines or ports: law enforcement is watching.
• 🔒 Fencers are warned to