|
International shipments, unsurprisingly enough, go missing with great frequency. It is a phenomenon familiar to the business owners and online shoppers among us. Whether the culprit is mother nature or some of her highly-evolved, two-footed inhabitants, we are never happy to hear the bad news. That's why it's so important to choose a shipping company that you can rely on. Here are the stories of three shipments that were trusted to the wrong hands. The Lufthansa Heist In December of 1978, a shipment of millions in American currency was being stored in a Kennedy Airport Vault. Jimmy Burke and several associates learned of this from an airport worker who owed them a large gambling debt. These Lucchese crime family members couldn't resist the opportunity, and the plan took shape. Very early on a Saturday morning, half a dozen mobsters stormed the building and herded the employees in the break room. With the information provided by the indebted worker, they knew how to open the vault. In total, over $5,000,000 in cash and $875,000 in jewelry was taken and never recovered. The thieves, on the other hand, didn't have as easy an escape. Almost everyone involved in the heist was either imprisoned or murdered in an effort to remove possible witnesses. It was the largest cash robbery in American history occurred. The heist was so memorable that it inspired Goodfellas and two television films. Gold Bars Plundered A similar story unfolded at Miami in the Spring of 2013. A flight transporting a box of gold from Ecuador arrived, and the box was quickly unloaded onto the tarmac. After investigating the surveillance footage, authorities discovered that a luggage cart had driven up to where the box was located. With the gold on board, it then bolted over to an alley out of the view of cameras. Upon arriving at the alley, investigators found the cart, but the box was long gone. With Miami's gold imports totaling over $8,000,000,000 a year, it is their number one imported good. It seems that someone with a detailed knowledge of the gold-shipping routine planned the heist well in advance. This inside job underscores the importance of hiring a shipping company that you can trust. The shipment was only valued at $625,000, but it was notable enough to get the attention of the FBI. Rubber Duckies Go for a Swim In 1992, 28,000 rubber ducks tasted sweet freedom when their shipping crate fell overboard. Over 20 years later, these little guys are still being washed ashore. Even though they were set free in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, they have been found in places as distant as South America, the United Kingdom, New England, and Alaska. Losing shipping crates at sea isn't as rare as you might think. In fact, it is estimated that at least 10,000 of them fall overboard every year. If you're not careful with your choice of shipping company, you might find that your newest purchase will be sitting at the bottom of the ocean, waiting to be plundered by future treasure hunters. Peter Wendt is a freelance writer from Austin, Texas who recently shipped a piece of furniture abroad. Curious about international shipments, he researched and suggests using this global freight shipping company for all of your international shipments.
Related Articles -
International, Shipments,
|
