More meat thefts have hit central Nebraska.
Grand Island Police said they received a report from GIX Logistics Tuesday morning that two semi loads of fresh beef valued at $277,549 were stolen from JBS between Sept. 21 and Sept. 22.
Capt. Jim Duering said meat was stolen, but no trailers or trucks were.
Duering said GIX Logistics bid out the loads to companies to pick up. He added GIX Logistics is listed as the victim because they take on responsibility for the load when they bid it out.
“They showed up to JBS to pick up the loads, the loads never got to where they’re going and all of the contact information for the company is leading us nowhere at this point,” he said. “So, either it is a fraudulent company or a shell company.”
Duering said it took GIX Logistics a week to report the incident due to the amount of time it takes to transport a load to the east coast. He said it then took a few more days for the company where the load was destined to to report that it was not received and for this information to be relayed to GIPD.
Duering said GIPD has “a lot of information” on the incident due to it occurring at JBS, which has numerous surveillance cameras.
The recent theft comes after three trailers containing more than $750,000 worth of meat were reported stolen from the 200 block of Roberts Street in Grand Island. York Police also reported approximately 37,000 pounds of meat was stolen from a semi-trailer in York.
“I would find it hard to believe that these types of thefts are not somehow connected,” Duering said. “The MO is a little bit different thought process in how to get to it. That does not mean it is not the same organization, it just means they maybe developed different methods. However, we are definitely considering that as a possibility.”