The theft of goods being transported by truck, rail, ship or aircraft, or held in a warehouse or distribution facility awaiting shipment, recognized by law enforcement and the freight and logistics industry as a distinct and economically significant category of property crime because of the specialized methods used to identify, intercept and resell stolen shipments. Common methods documented by industry and law enforcement sources include the theft of an entire loaded trailer left unattended, the diversion of a shipment through fraudulent paperwork or a fictitious pickup, and the burglary of a warehouse or distribution center, with categories of goods including electronics, pharmaceuticals and food and beverage products disproportionately targeted because of their high resale value and relative ease of disposal.
Facts
Classification CodeIn New York City, cargo or package theft is charged as petit larceny unless the value exceeds 1000 dollars, in which case it is grand larceny 1 Typical PenaltyIn Texas, cargo or package theft under 100 dollars in value is a Class C misdemeanor, the same class as a speeding ticket 1 Elements of OffensePackage or cargo theft is the theft of a package or parcel, which can occur anywhere in the distribution channel 1 Notable ExampleTexas bills HB 37 and HB 760, and South Carolina's Defense Against Porch Pirates Act, proposed felony treatment for package or cargo theft 1 Jurisdiction VariationUnder the proposed Texas felony bill, thieves could face up to 10 years in prison, compared to the lesser misdemeanor treatment elsewhere 1 Classification
Offense GradeMinor or Summary Offense 1 Connections
Has Offense Grade
Entity-backed identity for the offense-grade enum value this offense already carries, resolved to a crime concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The offense-grade fact itself stays on the offense unchanged.
Sources
1. Package Theft (Wikipedia)
Severity of crime section, New York City
In New York City, such cases are considered petit larceny, unless the value is above $1000 USD, in which case they are considered grand larceny.
Severity of crime section, Texas misdemeanor
In Texas, package theft is considered a Class C misdemeanor if the value is under $100, the same type as a speeding ticket.
Lead section, opening definition
"Package theft" or "cargo theft" is the theft of a package or parcel. It can occur anywhere in the distribution channel.
Severity of crime section, proposed legislation
Three bills in the Texas Legislature, including HB 37 and HB 760, and a bill called the Defense Against Porch Pirates Act in South Carolina, proposed that package theft be considered a felony.
Severity of crime section, Texas felony bill
In the Texas bill, thieves could face up to 10 years in prison.
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