Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of semi tractors, trailers and missing boxed beef.
A Grand Island man called LSO Sunday to report his semi tractor and trailer was stolen from Grand Island sometime after Friday, June 24th and Saturday, June 25th. Deputies recovered the semi and turned it over to the owner. There was no sign of a missing trailer.
On Monday, there was a report of a semi tractor trailer parked near SW 98th and W Saltillo Road. Prior to the deputy arriving, another deputy was taking a report of a stolen semi tractor from RDO Truck Services at 8400 W O in Emerald, Nebraska. The two deputies coordinated their calls. The semi was located on SW 98th and was the same stolen from Emerald.
The trailer attached to the stolen semi had been dropped off at Shoemaker’s Truck Stop at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday and was supposed to be picked up by another driver. The trailer was stolen along with the use of the semi stolen from Emerald. The trailer had contained $157,000 in boxed beef that was picked up from Demkota Beef Ranch in Aberdeen, South Dakota. The trailer was empty.
Information from Grand Island Police indicates there were three semi tractor trailer combinations stolen from the same lot in Grand Island between 2:36 p.m. Friday and 5:22 p.m. Saturday. The Nebraska State Patrol recovered two of the stolen semis with trailers attached on I-80 but the contents of the trailers is currently unknown.
The third stolen semi was the one recovered in Lancaster County. This truck did have a trailer attached to it when it was taken containing $232,666 worth of beef that had been picked up at JBS Swift in Grand Island. This trailer has not yet been recovered.
Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Grand Island Police and the Nebraska State Patrol continue to investigate. It is believed the thefts are related.