Thieves are targeting semitrucks to steal one pricey part

The crime wasn’t noticed by most law enforcement agencies until November, when the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department began hearing reports of dozens of semitrucks being hit by the latest crime trend.

The theft can take only a few minutes, law enforcement officials said, but the cost can reach up to thousands of dollars for truck drivers and logistics companies.

“It’s pretty widespread in our area,” said Gloria Huerta, a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Department. “Once we realized it was becoming a trend, that’s when we started tracking them.”

Common powertrain controller modules, or CPCs, are increasingly being stolen from parked trucks, not just causing hundreds of dollars in damage for the lost unit, but possibly thousands of dollars in losses to drivers and companies for trucks that are then rendered inoperable.

Last year, the department wasn’t tracking thefts of CPCs. Since November, the department has received reports of 40 stolen units.

Known as the “brain” for semitrucks, the CPC controls engine and powertrain functions for the vehicle, meaning the truck can’t be operated until the unit is replaced. The module can cost about $1,500 to $2,000. Yet high demand for the part can mean it can cost about $3,000 on the black market or from an unauthorized seller.

In San Bernardino County, law enforcement officials said they’ve noticed thieves hitting trucks in Fontana, Yucaipa, Victorville, Highland and San Bernardino, Huerta said. The region is home to many warehouse centers where trucks transport cargo. Many of the thefts have occurred at repair shops, truck yards and dirt lots.

So far, no arrests have been made by the agency, he said.

The sudden spike in thefts targeting the unit have been reminiscent of how thieves have targeted catalytic converters in the past. But law enforcement officials point out that in this case, thieves don’t need to scoot under the vehicle or use heavy equipment to remove the part. Instead, the thief only has to make their way into the cab of the truck.

“It only takes one to two minutes to take it out,” Huerta said.

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The burglaries have occurred not just in California, but across the country. In May, Daimler Truck North America, which manufactures commercial vehicles, issued an alert, warning that incidents had been reported in terminals and dealerships nationwide. In one auction yard in Pennsylvania, the company said, CPC units were stolen from 24 trucks.

The company is recommending that dealerships and repair facilities check the identification numbers of CPC units against the company’s database to make sure the units haven’t been stolen or sold on the black market.

Sgt. Robert Pair of the Bakersfield Police Department said investigators had seen no thefts involving the CPC units in all of 2021. Then during a two-month period starting in July, investigators got 27 reports of thefts of CPC modules, immediately drawing their attention.

“The majority of those thefts are occurring in lots where there’s no security,” Pair said. “A lot of drivers try to save money by parking in free areas, with no security, or dirt lots.”

The spike in thefts also prompted the Bakersfield Police Department to issue tips to prevent the thefts, including parking in a lighted area and in the view of surveillance cameras. Drivers are urged to park in lots with security personnel, and to plan ahead for parking on long drives.

Making sure all doors are locked and that windows are rolled up when the vehicle is parked — good tips to prevent thefts in any vehicle — are also encouraged.

The Bakersfield Police Department also urges drivers and companies to enable password protection for the CPC units.

Detectives are also paying attention to what has driven up recent demand for the part. If thieves are targeting the device, Pair points out, it means there’s a market out there of vendors willing to buy the stolen goods.

“It’s one of those things that, on the back end, you have to have someone to sell it to,” Pair said. “Somewhere in the process there’s a disreputable repair operation.”