The Upsurge of Seafood Heists in New England: A Closer Look

During the 2025-26 holiday season, New England faced a troubling spike in seafood thefts, culminating in a significant incident involving a stolen load of lobster valued at $400,000. This shipment was en route to Costco’s warehouses in Illinois and Minnesota when it vanished, highlighting a broader crisis in maritime crime.

The Initial Incident: Missing Oysters

The troubling trend began on November 22, just before Thanksgiving, when Maine oyster grower Michael Scafuro discovered that 40,000 oysters had gone missing from his aquaculture site near Falmouth. According to reports by Undercurrent News, Maine Marine Patrol, with assistance from Maine Operation Game Thief, investigated the potential for an accident, but concluded that the equipment and oysters—valued at nearly $20,000—had likely been stolen.

“This is a devastating situation for a small businessman like Mr. Scafuro, especially as we head into the holidays,” stated marine patrol sergeant Matthew Sinclair in a press release. The oysters were positioned for sale, making their disappearance even more impactful.

Subsequent Heist: The Crabmeat Disappearance

On December 2, another seafood theft unfolded on the East Coast. A load of crabmeat disappeared after departing a Lineage Logistics warehouse in Taunton, Massachusetts. This incident drew attention following media coverage of the massive lobster heist, which Undercurrent estimates involved around 40,000 pounds of lobster.

Dylan Rexing, CEO of Rexing Companies, elaborated on the intricacies of the lobster theft, revealing that the trucking firm involved impersonated a legitimate carrier. “They had a spoofed email address. They changed the name on the side of the truck. They made a fake certified driver’s license,” Rexing explained to ABC News. He further indicated that law enforcement had notified him about the crabmeat theft from the same warehouse earlier that month.

A Growing Concern: Cargo Theft Statistics

Cargo theft remains a recurring issue across the United States, with food and beverages being prime targets. According to a report by CargoNet, a network dedicated to tracking cargo theft and recovery, meat and seafood thefts exhibited a staggering 189% increase from Q3 2024 to Q3 2025, skyrocketing from 18 reported incidents to 52.

In total, there were 772 cargo theft events reported in Q3 2025 across the US and Canada. These figures reflect a 1% increase year-on-year, though a 10% decrease was noted compared to the previous quarter. Despite a stable number of incidents, the financial fallout from these thefts surged, with the total value of stolen goods in Q3 reaching an astonishing $111.88 million.

Conclusion: A Call for Vigilance

As the seafood industry feels the impact of these continual thefts, it underscores the need for heightened security measures and awareness among producers and distributors alike. The recent heists serve as a stark reminder that even the most trusted supply chains are vulnerable to sophisticated criminal tactics.

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