An apparently hungry pair was arrested in New Jersey for reportedly attempting to steal about 29,000 pounds of frozen seafood worth over $273,000, but their scheme quickly went belly-up.
Jonathan Pollaguari, 18, of the Bronx, New York, and an unidentified juvenile were nabbed on October 3 unloading pallets of frozen shrimp, salmon, conch flesh, and branzino from a refrigerated tractor-trailer onto a 26-foot box truck in North Arlington, according to a Facebook press release.
Officers arrived to Porete Avenue after receiving a report of suspicious behavior involving a cargo transfer, where they located the pair transporting seafood between vehicles.
Police allege that the scam involves someone impersonating as a representative of the freight broker managing the shipment. The tractor-trailer driver got a series of phone calls and text messages instructing him to reroute some of the seafood to North Arlington, where it would be put into another vehicle.
The driver followed the directions, but something seemed off when the fish was being unloaded. An inquiry discovered that the person offering the directions had no link to the actual freight broker and was apparently impersonating as a corporate representative to steal the goods.
Police intervened before the shipment could be taken from the region, halting the transfer and retrieving the seafood, which was worth more than $273,000. The suspected thieves were completely out of luck.
Pollaguari and the kid were taken into custody without incident, according to authorities.
“Our officers did an excellent job of identifying the situation and preventing the theft of more than $273,000 in products. “This case highlights our officers’ hard work and dedication, as well as their ability to quickly investigate a complex situation,” North Arlington Police Captain David Hudak said in a statement.
Pollaguari is charged with second-degree theft by deceit, false representation, and conspiracy, as well as first-degree employing a child to commit a crime. He also received motor vehicle summonses for driving without a license, not having an insurance card, and operating an uninsured vehicle.
The charges against the minor have not been made public.
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