CHP recovers $218K in electronics during two day cargo theft operation in Bakersfield

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) arrested three people following a two day cargo theft operation in Bakersfield.

On March 26, CHP and partner agencies launched an investigation into a truckload of electronics making its way from Kentucky to a distribution center in Tulare County, California. 

Troopers said that the truck made an unscheduled stop in Kern County “where the driver and passengers were observed tampering with the trailer’s security devices.”

After the truck failed to reach its scheduled appointment at distribution center in Tulare County, CHP located the truck and performed a traffic stop as it entered Madera County from Fresno County.

Police found the truck’s entire load of $218,000 in wearable electronics intact inside the cargo area, including Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headsets, Ray-Ban Sunglasses, and Virtual Reality link cables.

Truck driver Pavittar Singh Bains, 32, and passengers Balraj Singh Judge, 27, and Simrandeep Singh, 36, were arrested. All three people were booked into the Kern County Jail on the charges of grand theft of cargo, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and criminal conspiracy. 

CHP partnered with Kern County Auto Theft Task force (KernCATT) and Tulare County Auto Theft Task Force (TRATT) along with Cargo Theft Interdiction Program (CTIP) as part of the operation.