Truck driver hurt trying to stop cargo heist; thieves steal $30K worth of snow crab in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police are investigating yet another cargo heist in Philadelphia after a group of thieves robbed a Freightliner truck and injured the driver. It's the second cargo theft within 10 days.

Police say the driver was beaten up when he tried to stop thieves from stealing $30,000 worth of frozen snow crabs from the refrigerated trailer.

Now, police are looking for up to a dozen people who rode up in four cars to rob the truck.

It happened in the 4300 block of Byberry Road in Northeast Philadelphia around 5:30 a.m. Friday.

"It was Grandpa Harvey's snow crabs. Two pallets - approximately100 boxes valued at $30,000," said Captain Jack Ryan, with Philadelphia Police Northeast Detectives.

RELATED: 184 cases of crab clusters worth $73,000 stolen from trailer in Philadelphia: Police

The truck was parked at the Walmart delivery dock in the Philadelphia Mills Shopping Center when the robbery took place.

ALSO SEE: More than $12,000 worth of pork stolen from truck in Northeast Philadelphia

The driver was alerted by a security system, however, the thieves weren't scared off.

Police say the truck driver was beaten up by two of the robbers. That driver was treated at the scene.

We spoke to John Rigney, the safety director of the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association, who says it's clear criminals are targeting these trucks.

"They look at the type of trailer. Ifyou see a refrigerated trailer you know there's something valuable in there. Whether it's ice cream, pork, crab legs or beef," said Rigney.

He went on to advise any trucker not to fight back against would-be thieves.

ALSO SEE: 9 arrests made in $14.8M gold heist, police say

Last year, in the same parking lot, $750,000 worth of dimes were stolen from an unoccupied parked truck, which had just left the mint.

And, on March 14, bourbon and meat were stolen from a parked truck on Caroline Road. The driver was sleeping when the theft occurred.

"They're sleeping in a lot of cases, the refrigerated trucks make a lot of noise," Capt. Ryan said.

Law enforcement is currently reviewing surveillance footage in the area.

Police are asking truckers that if this happens to them, don't intervene and to just call 911 immediately.

RELATED: Check the 6abc Neighborhood Safety Tracker