Trucking News · Indiana · November 6, 2026

Indiana Police Say a Man Posed as a Truck Driver to Steal More Than $115,000 in Copper Wire From a New Haven Plant

By Big Rig Daily Staff

Police in New Haven, Indiana, say a man posed as a truck driver from a known freight company and tried to leave a copper manufacturing plant with more than $115,000 in copper wire, according to WANE. The attempt was stopped when plant employees refused the load and called law enforcement. The report describes arrests and charges, not a conviction.

How the attempt began

WANE, citing court documents, says a Pennsylvania freight company called the manufacturer to warn that its email had been compromised and that it was worried an unauthorized load had shipped. Security cameras then showed a California-plated semi rolling onto the lot. Court documents summarized by WANE say the tractor plate was attached to the grille with zip ties.

The driver presented a commercial license under another name and said he was there for 22,740 pounds of copper wire valued at more than $115,000. Employees checked the license and the registrations. Nothing matched. They sent him away empty and called police.

What officers say they found

Flock cameras tracked the truck toward a stop near Indiana 13 and Interstate 69. WANE reports that when officers ran the plates, the type of vehicle did not match, and the trailer's identification number led back to a report that it had been stolen in New Haven about a week earlier. Officers also say the man's commercial license was already disqualified in California.

He was charged with attempted theft, identity deception and operating a commercial motor vehicle while disqualified, and was held in the Allen County Jail, according to WANE. Those are allegations. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Why it matters to truckers

Cargo investigators have warned for years about fictitious pickups that combine compromised email, fake credentials and stolen equipment. Big Rig Daily has covered similar cargo theft schemes that use fake carriers and stolen authority numbers. In this case, the plant's verification steps stopped the load before it left the dock.

Quick facts

• Alleged attempt: more than $115,000 in copper wire at a New Haven plant.
• Employees refused the load after license and registration checks failed.
• Officers say the trailer had been stolen and the commercial license was disqualified.
• Charges reported by WANE are allegations, not findings of guilt.

FAQ

Was anyone convicted in the New Haven copper case?

No. The sources describe an arrest and charges. Those are not a conviction.

Did the New Haven copper leave the plant?

WANE says employees sent the driver away empty after the paperwork failed to match.

What should warehouses verify after the New Haven copper theft attempt?

The sources do not set a legal checklist. In this case, matching the license, registrations and the real carrier's warning stopped the load.

A question for readers

Truckers, what verification steps does your warehouse or shipper use before releasing a high-value pickup?

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