Maybe the scammer got stuck on the storage fee and paperwork too while he spent the time searching for a buyer for this unique product. Then when he identified the fence he was into storage fees deeper than his liquidity (beyond merely cutting the scam in half-- his first plan). So he had the broker pay storage, release the product, then targeted the broker a second time with the same scam-- same board, same method, this time laser-focused and with success.

Why does the scammer need to contact them? Why can't the warehouse call and go "Uh, we seem to have your shipment, I don't know why it was off-loaded here, but now that it's here you need to pay us"?