Two Semis, One Trailer Stolen During Meat Theft Case

LINCOLN–(KFOR June 28)–In what may be part of a nationwide trend, authorities say two semi-trucks and a trailer meant for pickup were stolen this past weekend.

Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner says a Grand Island man reported on Monday that one of his semis and a trailer were taken during a theft that happened sometime between Friday and Saturday.  Three semitrucks were taken from that Grand Island location, but thanks to GPS in one semi, it was found about 90 miles east, near SW 100th and Highway 33 in southwestern Lancaster County.  The GPS showed the truck was at Shoemaker’s Truck Stop at SW 48th and West “O” Street between 4:24am and 4:40am Saturday.  While the truck was recovered and turned back over to the owner, there was no trailer to be found.

Meanwhile, Wagner says they received a call just after 10am Monday about a semi tractor trailer parked near SW 98th and West Saltillo Road.  Before deputies arrived, there was a call that came in from RDO Truck Service in Emerald at 8400 West “O” Street about a stolen semi-truck.  Through investigative work, deputies concluded that both calls were for the same rig.

The trailer attached to the stolen semi had been dropped off at Shoemaker’s just after 2pm Saturday and was supposed to be picked up by another driver, but it was stolen with the use of a the stolen semi from Emerald, according to Sheriff Wagner.  The trailer was loaded with about $157,000 worth of boxed beef that was picked up by Demkota Beef Ranch out of Aberdeen, South Dakota.  When the trailer was recovered, it was empty.

Wagner says information from Grand Island Police shows there were three semi tractor trailer combinations stolen from the same lot in Grand Island between 2:30pm Friday and 5:30pm Saturday.  The Nebraska State Patrol recovered two of the stolen semis with trailers along I-80 just east of Grand Island.  The third stolen semi was the one recovered in Lancaster County and at the time it was stolen, it had a trailer attached to it with just over $230,000 worth of beef picked up from the JBS Swift plant in Grand Island.  According to Wagner, that trailer hasn’t been recovered.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office continues to work with Grand Island Police and the Nebraska State Patrol in this investigation.