State police say two men used fraudulent licenses and shipping documents to haul away an entire trailer before the cargo was recovered
NEW CASTLE, DE – Two men allegedly posed as FedEx employees, presented fraudulent documents and drove away from a New Castle warehouse with a trailer carrying more than $680,000 in electronics, leading Delaware State Police to arrest a California man after the stolen shipment was tracked down.
Dushatdaman Parihar, 35, of Manteca, California, was arrested in connection with the cargo theft, which occurred Monday morning at Emolo Consumer Electronics, 1146 River Road.
According to state police, Parihar and another suspect arrived at the warehouse in a tractor-trailer cab at approximately 9:15 a.m.
The two allegedly identified themselves as FedEx employees and presented driver’s licenses and shipping documents for a trailer loaded with more than $680,000 worth of electronics.
Police said the suspects connected the trailer to their cab and drove away with the shipment.
A short time later, the shipping documents were determined to be fraudulent.
The following day, troopers responded to University Plaza in Newark after the caller reported locating the tractor-trailer parked there.
While troopers were speaking with the caller, they saw one of the suspects walking toward the tractor-trailer and identified him as Parihar, according to state police.
Investigators determined that the driver’s licenses presented at the warehouse were fraudulent. Police also said the registration plate displayed on the tractor-trailer was fraudulent.
Parihar was taken into custody without incident.
Troopers recovered the trailer and returned it to the business with all of the electronics still inside.
Parihar was charged with felony theft involving property valued at $100,000 or more, first-degree forgery, second-degree forgery, second-degree conspiracy and displaying a fictitious registration plate.
He was arraigned and committed to the Delaware Department of Correction on a $66,550 secured bond.
Delaware State Police did not identify the second suspect or announce an arrest of that person in Friday’s release.
The Criminal Investigations Unit continues to investigate. Anyone with information can contact Detective S. Marioni at 302-365-8388 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
The charges are accusations, and Parihar is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Key Points
- Two suspects allegedly posed as FedEx employees and used fraudulent documents to take a trailer carrying more than $680,000 in electronics from a New Castle warehouse.
- Delaware State Police arrested Dushatdaman Parihar, 35, after the tractor-trailer was located at University Plaza in Newark.
- The trailer was recovered with all of the cargo still inside, while the investigation into the second suspect continues.