Authorities have launched an investigation into a suspected theft involving a truckload of lobsters valued at $400,000, intended for Costco outlets in Illinois and Minnesota.

The seafood, originating from Taunton, Massachusetts, was expected to reach its destination without incident. However, it never made it there, as confirmed by Dylan Rexing, the CEO of Rexing Companies.

Updated: Dec 27, 2025 / 10:37 AM EST

(The Hill) – Police are investigating a potential heist after $400,000 worth of live lobsters was stolen from a truck transporting the seafood to Costco locations in Illinois and Minnesota. 

The shipment was picked up in Taunton, Mass., but never arrived at its final destination, according to Dylan Rexing, CEO of Rexing Companies.

“This is a huge issue across the country,” Rexing said during an interview on ChicagoLIVE, Fox32 reported. 

“It directly impacts businesses and contributes to higher prices for consumers,” he added. 

The possible theft follows a seafood shipment incident earlier this month, where items were stolen from the same Massachusetts facility.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has flagged the issue to law enforcement agencies and freight carriers nationwide. 

“Cargo theft is a growing concern for the U.S. transportation system, costing the economy billions annually. These crimes involve opportunistic ‘straight thefts’ of trailers, containers, and loads at truck stops or multimodal distribution hubs and highly coordinated operations conducted by organized criminal networks,” the agency wrote in a memo requesting data on cargo theft from various authorities, per The Independent. 

“Both categories create significant economic losses, disrupt supply chains, and in some cases fund broader illicit activities such as narcotics trafficking, counterfeiting, and human smuggling.”