Michigan Truckers Push For Stricter Cargo Theft Penalties As Bills Move Through Legislature

Organized Crime Networks Target Michigan Businesses, Lawmakers Seek Tougher Punishment

LANSING — Michigan trucking companies are lobbying for dramatically increased criminal penalties for cargo theft as two companion bills move through the state legislature. Under the proposed laws, prosecutors could seek up to 10 additional years in prison for certain cargo theft convictions.

House Bills 5125 and 5126 passed the Michigan House on March 10 and were referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 17. The measures are backed by the Michigan Trucking Association and small carriers across the state.

International criminal networks have identified Michigan as a prime target for cargo theft, and law enforcement needs stronger tools to fight back. This plan increases penalties for cargo theft so we can bring the full force of our justice system against anyone targeting Michigan businesses or consumers

— State Rep. Mike Harris, who sponsored HB 5125

The Scope of Cargo Theft in Michigan

Rep. Harris said the bills aim to revamp the Michigan Penal Code so prosecutors can seek tougher prison sentencing by adding up to 10 years for larceny involving stolen cargo. The enhanced sentence would be applied consecutively — not concurrently — to any prison term given for another violation in the same judicial transaction.

The bills target what lawmakers describe as organized criminal activity tied to international gangs, particularly in Detroit and Wayne County. HB 5125 would allow prosecutors to seek consecutive sentences of up to 10 years for larceny involving stolen cargo. HB 5126, sponsored by Rep. Steve Frisbie, would classify cargo theft as a Class D property felony with a maximum 10 years imprisonment.

In an age when supply chains are the backbone of so many businesses, we must ensure we can do everything within our power to protect them. This is not petty theft. These are organized groups that are stealing entire cargo loads of trailers. They will steal the trailer. They will empty a train car. It is very organized, and that is what we are after

— Rep. Steve Frisbie, who sponsored HB 5126

Trucking Industry Support

During a Feb. 25 House Judiciary Committee hearing, Michigan Trucking Association CEO Jill Sokacz testified on behalf of the proposals alongside Ashley Kordish of Ralph Moyle Inc. Sokacz said cargo theft losses nationally are about 18 million dollars a day, which equates to about 521,000 dollars annually per trucking company.

Most Michigan carriers are small family-owned businesses, They are working hard to make a living, and they cant absorb that kind of cost day after day annually. Ultimately, it is passed on to the consumer

— Jill Sokacz, Michigan Trucking Association CEO

Kordish, who leads a family-owned company with 60 trucks, shared details about cargo thefts that affected her business. She said her company experienced two similar types of cargo thefts within the past year in which thieves decided her loads were not high-value targets but still caused significant losses.

We had a driver that was parked for the night. Somebody got into the back of our trailer, cut open the seal and looked inside and decided flour was not worth stealing. Nobody would take it. It was compromised at that point, so 25,000 dollars out of our pocket for a load of our flour

— Ashley Kordish, Ralph Moyle Inc.

Kordish said a second incident involved a 75,000 dollar load of meat that thieves decided was not worth taking but also could not be sold. Both losses and insurance costs are harming her profitability.

As part of the trucking industry, we are part of an industry that is struggling. We are historically not a high-margin business, and we cannot absorb these kinds of losses

— Ashley Kordish, Ralph Moyle Inc.

The Bills Current Status

The bills currently sit in the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. HB 5126 cannot take effect without the Legislature approving the other bill. If both measures are enacted, they would significantly change how Michigan handles cargo theft prosecutions.

Michigan House Republicans stated that especially in Detroit and surrounding Wayne County, the state has experienced a boom in cargo theft from railcars and storage facilities linked specifically to criminal activity tied to international gangs.

Cargo theft is not a crime of opportunity. Breaking into railcars or shipping containers to steal vehicles or high-value goods requires planning, coordination and organized criminal support. Treating these crimes the same as ordinary theft fails to recognize their scale and complexity

— State Rep. Mike Harris

The bills would allow prosecutors to seek consecutive prison sentences of up to 10 years for larceny involving stolen cargo, which must be applied consecutively to any other prison term given in the same judicial transaction.

What This Means

If the Michigan Legislature approves both bills, cargo theft convictions would carry significantly heavier penalties than ordinary theft. The measures would require prosecutors to seek consecutive rather than concurrent sentences for certain cargo theft cases, potentially resulting in longer prison terms for convicted criminals.

The Michigan Trucking Association and small carriers argue the current legal framework fails to address the organized nature of cargo theft. With criminal networks targeting Michigan specifically, the industry is pushing for stronger tools to combat what they describe as an escalating problem.

Sources:

• Trucking-Backed Cargo Theft Bills Move to Michigan Senate — TTNews: https://www.ttnews.com/articles/michigan-cargo-theft-bills