Federal investigators are probing the theft of 15 agricultural drones from a logistics facility in Harrison, New Jersey, after suspects allegedly used forged shipping paperwork to remove the equipment.
According to the report, the theft occurred on March 24 at CAC International. A person posing as a delivery driver presented a fake bill of lading and counterfeit confirmation email, then took possession of the shipment.
The stolen drones were identified as Ceres Air C31 models. Each unit weighs about 500 pounds and is roughly the size of an all-terrain vehicle.
The report estimated each drone is worth between $15,000 and $58,000, placing the total loss between approximately $225,000 and $870,000 depending on configuration.
Authorities are treating the case seriously because of the drones’ industrial capabilities.
The C31 is designed for agricultural use, including spraying fertilizer, pesticides, and other liquid treatments over farmland. Specifications cited in the report say each drone can carry up to 40 gallons of liquid per flight and cover 15 to 20 acres in around seven minutes using GPS-guided routes.
That means the drones combine large payload capacity, autonomous navigation, and rapid area coverage.
The New York Post reported the FBI opened an investigation and considers the theft both complex and urgent. A source briefed on the matter described it as one of the most sophisticated cargo thefts agents had seen in years.
Cargo theft involving fraudulent pickups has become a growing national issue. Criminal groups often use fake identities, forged dispatch records, cloned trucking credentials, or spoofed emails to intercept valuable freight before legitimate carriers arrive.
What makes this case different is the nature of the cargo.
Retired FBI agent Steve Lazarus said these are not hobby drones but industrial sprayers built to disperse significant amounts of liquid quickly and accurately.
He warned that even common chemicals, if misused, could create serious public safety risks, per Trending Politics.
The report also referenced a 2020 U.S. Army manual noting agricultural drones could potentially be adapted as chemical or biological delivery platforms because they are commercially available and already built for aerial dispersion.
As of publication, no arrests had been announced.
Neither Ceres Air, CAC International, nor the Harrison Police Department had issued public statements, according to the report.
Investigators now likely need to determine where the drones were transported, whether they were dismantled, resold, exported, or retained intact.
Because these machines require batteries, software, transport vehicles, and trained operators, they are harder to hide than ordinary stolen goods.
