Stearns launches bill to coordinate cargo theft data
U.S. Rep. Clifford Stearns, R-Fla., has introduced H.R. 785, a bill to coordinate the collection of cargo theft crime data and to amend Title 18 of the U.S. Code to make improvements relating to preventing cargo theft.
Called the 'Cargo Theft Prevention Act,' the bill would authorize the U.S. Attorney General to 'allow for the reporting of cargo theft offenses to the attorney general by a carrier, facility, or cargo owner' promptly after becoming aware of such losses.
Such reports would include 'the origin and destination of the shipment, the commodities stolen, the time and location of the theft,' and other information, the bill proposed.
The attorney general would also create a database to contain such reports, and prescribe procedures for access to the database by 'appropriate federal, state and local government agencies, while protecting the privacy of the information,' the bill said.
The U.S. Justice Department would also share results and analysis of the data with other appropriate authorities. In addition, the attorney general would, through a new 'outreach program,' work with state and local law enforcement officials 'to harmonize the reporting of data on cargo theft' throughout the United States.
The bill proposed by Stearns would also change certain words and phrases in Section 659 of Title 18 in the U.S. Code pertaining to the theft of interstate or foreign shipments. Specifically, the bill would add language for 'motortruck trailer' and 'aircraft air cargo container,' as well as broadening the scope of the statute from 'air navigation facilities' to 'any intermodal container, trailer, container freight station, warehouse, or freight consolidation facility.'
That section of Title 18 would also be modified as follows: 'For purposes of this section, goods and chattel shall be construed to be moving as an interstate or foreign shipment at all points between the point of origin and the final destination (as evidenced by the waybill or other shipping document of the shipment), regardless of any temporary stop while awaiting transshipment or otherwise,' the bill noted.
