Thieves cloned a $60,000 shipment; Cook County recovered 75 drums of glycerin before it vanished

Cook County investigators intercepted a semi truck carrying 75 drums of glycerin — 41,336 pounds worth $60,000 — after discovering the shipment had been cloned and rerouted through falsified transportation paperwork. The driver, police say, apparently had no idea he was hauling a stolen load.

The load originated in Hammond, Indiana, and was headed for 16850 Canal Street in Thornton, Illinois, when the Cook County Sheriff's Office Organized Retail Crime and Cargo Theft Task Force received intelligence about the suspected theft. Investigators obtained the bill of lading and reviewed carrier information, documentation and the intended destination, then tracked the tractor-trailer into Thornton and stopped it before anyone could unload or distribute the product.

Detectives determined that someone had cloned information connected with the legitimate $60,000 shipment — 99.7% USP/FCC-grade glycerin used in pharmaceuticals, skincare, hand sanitizers and food production — to redirect the 75 drums toward a cross-docking operation. Preliminary findings indicate the operator did not know criminals had stolen the shipment, and investigators found no evidence he knowingly participated. Authorities recovered every drum, verified ownership and coordinated the load's return.

Commander Michael Ware, who leads the task force, called it an example of increasingly sophisticated strategic cargo theft: criminals exploiting transportation systems and cloned loads instead of simply breaking into trailers. Cook County investigators previously handled similar cases involving a $586,000 copper shipment and $647,000 in Nike products. No suspects have been arrested in the glycerin case, and the investigation remains active.