Pennsylvania authorities announced the arrest of three men who were caught attempting to steal meat from a parked and locked tractor trailer this week.
Douglas Mathis, Jamir Scott, and Tariq Duncan have been charged with corrupt organizations, theft, and related offenses, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
Officials say that on the morning of Tuesday, September 24, the three men “were witnessed breaking a lock on the tractor trailer and carrying 25 cases of beef — valued at $7,000 — from the rig to their van.” The truck was parked at 7300 block of Edmund Street in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General agents, assisted by Philadelphia Police Department, initiated the arrest while the men were stealing the 1600 pounds of beef from the trailer.
“This was tenacious investigative work that involved collaboration between law enforcement agencies to stop high-value thefts from parked tractor trailers,” Attorney General Henry said. “I commend the timely work of our Organized Crime Section who tracked this crew and, essentially, caught them in the act.”
The arrests come as part of the larger “Operation Beef Bandit” campaign, a collaborative effort to combat an organized cargo theft ring. Operation Beef Bandit involves multiple law enforcement agencies, including the New Jersey State Police.
Bail for each of the three men was set at $200,000 cash.
Earlier this month, four men were arrested at the Molly Pitcher Service area on the southbound New Jersey Turnpike for breaking into a parked truck to steal meat as part of Operation Beef Bandit.