The scuttlebutt within the North Texas trucking community is that operators strongly suspect an organized theft ring is targeting flatbed 18-wheelers carrying valuable loads of roofing shingles, according to a FOX 4-TV news report from Midlothian, about 25 miles southwest of Dallas.

Since September, at least four large rigs have been reported stolen from secure truck yards, raising concerns about the safety and security of the region's trucking operations.

Last Sunday, a video from a truck yard near Midlothian in Ellis County showed two trucks being driven away from the property while still dark outside; both rigs were loaded with roofing shingles. Last month, two trucks were taken in the same fashion from a Farmers Branch trucking yard.

Melinda Daniel with Rusty Daniel Trucking, Inc., said the thefts had blindsided truckers after thinking they had parked their rigs in a secured lot. 

"They park their trucks in a secured yard thinking that their truck and trailers gonna be safe,” she said. “Their livelihood is gonna be safe in a secured place; and you have these thieves that come in there, and they take the whole truck, the trailer, and the load of shingles." 

Kevin Bishop, an independent truck owner and operator, decried the theft of his rig. While his truck was ultimately recovered, he said it sustained significant damage after thieves tore through it looking for a tracking device.

"They impacted my life; they impacted my family,” Bishop said. “They hurt my bottom line to the fullest with this one incident; it’s like a chain of events transpired because of this one incident.”

Bishop said he missed out on about $4,500 this week with his truck out of commission.

A company that owns two stolen trucks in Farmers Branch has been unable to recover them, resulting in increased losses.