Pux began his investigation by thoroughly examining the missing container. He noted its size, weight, and markings, trying to find any clues that could lead him to the thief. The container was a standard 20-footer, and there were no apparent signs of forced entry. He also took note of the container's contents, which were listed as "general cargo" on the ship's manifest, but he knew that could mean anything. He knew that he would have to wait until he could open the container to confirm the real contents.

Pux then started to interview the crew of the ship, asking them if they had seen or heard anything unusual during their voyage. However, none of them had seen anything out of the ordinary. Pux knew that container ships had a large number of crew members, many of whom were only on board for short periods of time, so it was possible that the thief could have been someone who had disembarked before the ship reached port.

Pux decided to search the ship more thoroughly, looking for any signs of a break-in or foul play. He searched the crew quarters, the engine room, and the cargo holds, but he found nothing out of the ordinary. He was about to give up when he noticed something strange on the ship's surveillance footage.

Pux spent hours reviewing the ship's surveillance footage, looking for any sign of the thief. He saw a man sneaking around the ship late at night, but he couldn't make out the man's face. He decided to show the footage to the ship's crew in the hope that someone would recognize the thief. One of the crew members came forward and told Pux that he recognized the man as a known smuggler, Jack Smith. Pux knew Smith from previous cases, and he knew that the man was a professional criminal with a long list of convictions.

Pux started to put the pieces together. Smith must have stolen the container, but why? What could be so valuable that he would risk stealing it from a container ship? Pux decided to track down Smith and find out.