Trucking News · California · October 29, 2026

Deputies Recover $500,000 in Gun Parts Taken From a Torrance Warehouse in a Fake Pickup, a Cargo Theft Truckers Should Know About

By Big Rig Daily Staff · Updated Oct 29, 2026, 8:13 a.m. PT

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies say they recovered about $500,000 worth of cargo that was taken from a Torrance, California, warehouse through a fake pickup. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) said it learned on Oct. 12 that a load of Sig Sauer products had been "picked up fictitiously" at a warehouse near the 4200 block of West 190th Street, CDL Life reported on Oct. 28.

What deputies say happened

After an investigation, deputies found the stolen cargo, which consisted of firearm parts and accessories, and returned it to its owner. LASD arrested two Glendale men, ages 26 and 23, according to CDL Life. Both were booked for grand theft cargo, and the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration. An arrest is not a conviction, and no charges had been reported when the sheriff's department released the information.

"This investigation highlights the outstanding work by our Major Crimes Bureau investigators," LASD Chief Jose G. Mendoza said. "Thanks to their incredible teamwork and tireless efforts, hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen gun parts were taken off the streets, reaffirming our commitment to public safety."

What a fictitious pickup means

The reports described the theft as a "fictitious pickup," meaning the load was collected under false pretenses rather than taken from a truck on the road. They did not give details of how the pickup was arranged, and Big Rig Daily is not guessing at how it was done.

The task force behind it

ATruckDrivers reported that investigators with the Major Crimes Bureau's Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team made the case. The sheriff's department formed its Organized Retail Crimes Task Force in September 2023. It includes the Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team and the Burglary and Robbery Task Force, and works with local agencies, other task forces and federal partners on cargo theft.

How to report cargo theft

Anyone with information on cargo theft in the Los Angeles County area is asked to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at p3tips.com or 562-946-7270. Anonymous tips can go to L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Quick facts

• Value: about $500,000 in firearm parts and accessories.
• Where: warehouse near the 4200 block of West 190th Street, Torrance, California.
• Reported to deputies: Oct. 12, 2026.
• Arrests: two Glendale men, ages 26 and 23, booked for grand theft cargo.

Big Rig Daily has also covered how thieves use AI tools in cargo theft, a FedEx truck theft in Santa Ana and a snow crab theft in Philadelphia.

A question for readers

What steps does your carrier or shipper use to make sure the right trucker picks up a load?

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