By Allan Stein
Contributing Writer
Brazen criminals continue to target the country’s railroads despite proactive efforts to combat cargo theft, according to law enforcement.
This month, federal authorities in Arizona indicted 11 individuals, including nine Mexican nationals who were illegally residing in the United States.
They are charged with possessing more than $400,000 worth of Nike shoes, which were reported stolen from a BNSF Railway train on Jan. 13.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Arizona believes the incident is part of a growing trend involving criminal organizations that specialize in stealing from trains.
These groups are mainly comprised of Mexican citizens connected to the Sinaloa region in Mexico, the agency reported.
One common method they use involves cutting air hoses to force trains carrying valuable cargo to stop in a specific location.
“This act is very dangerous and can cause the trains, which travel up to 70 mph, to derail,” the agency warned.
“Once the train is stopped at a location of the organization’s choosing, crews will break into select containers and unload the cargo alongside the tracks.
“Another crew will then drive box trucks or other cargo vehicles to the location of the stolen goods. This second crew will load the goods into the vehicles for transport to California, where the goods will be sold online.”
According to the grand jury indictment, the defendants acted together to pack and transport more than 1,900 pairs of unreleased Nike shoes after the train became immobilized due to a cut air hose in Perrin, Arizona.
A BNSF police officer reportedly observed several cases of Nike shoes on the side of the tracks where the train had been forced to stop. Law enforcement was able to trace a U-Haul box truck and another truck traveling near the stolen goods.
A search of both trucks resulted in the recovery of 1,985 pairs of unreleased Nike shoes, valued at more than $440,000.
Three of the defendants also face charges of re-entering the United States after removal, while six others have been charged with improper entry as aliens.
On Oct. 19, 2024, law enforcement in Yavapai County, Arizona, arrested two suspects in connection with a burglary involving a box truck used to transport stolen goods from a BNSF rail car, according to the county sheriff’s office.
Insurance adviser and support specialist Overhaul reported that in 2024, cargo theft on railways accounted for 9% of total thefts, with 63% occurring on trains and 37% at train yards.
When comparing the January to September timeframe of 2024 to the previous year, rail cargo theft increased by 58%, as noted on the company’s website.
“This means that, out of all locations, rail cargo thefts experienced the highest increase in crime over the past year,” Overhaul noted.
“Unfortunately, several factors have caused freight trains to become a breeding ground for organized theft.”
The company reported that in 2024, most thefts occurred in large railway hubs, with Illinois accounting for 26%, California for 22%, Tennessee for 13%, and Arizona for 4%.
Nearly 60% of rail thefts involved automobiles and parts. Electronics, clothing, and shoes were the next most commonly stolen items, representing 16% of the total goods stolen.
Many of these stolen items are high-value products, as Overhaul reported, highlighting that they offer greater returns and lower penalties. This aspect makes rail theft a “low-risk, high-reward” proposition.
“Many companies lack the property security measures to prevent theft,” the company added. “Local law enforcement are also often overwhelmed by the sheer amount of crimes.”
Due to an increase in cargo thefts, major railroad companies like Union Pacific and BNSF have adopted advanced technology and created their own law enforcement divisions to reduce future losses.
Following a 160% increase in railroad thefts in Los Angeles County during the pandemic, Union Pacific announced that it was taking aggressive measures to protect shipments by enhancing surveillance of tracks and rail yards.
Since January 2023, Union Pacific has invested more than $30 million on security projects, including the installation of camera units and fences, and the use of drones and thermal imaging equipment, the company said.
In October 2024, Union Pacific announced that the percentage of arrests leading to charges in the Los Angeles area had increased from 25% to 90% over the past 18 months.
The company attributed the increase to its special agents collaborating with local police.
Organized Crime
In a letter dated Dec. 20, 2021, to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Union Pacific described the increasing crisis of organized rail theft that affected the safety of its 1,600 employees and 275 miles of track within the county.
“Since December 2020, [Union Pacific] has experienced an over 160% increase in criminal rail theft in Los Angeles County. In several months during that period, the increase from the previous year surpassed 200%,” the letter stated.
In October 2021, the increase was 356% compared to October 2020.
“This increased criminal activity over the past 12 months accounts for approximately $5 million in claims, losses, and damages to [Union Pacific].
“And that value does not include respective losses to our impacted customers. Nor does it capture the larger operating or commercial impacts to the UP network or supply chain system in Los Angeles County.
“Not only do these dramatic increases represent retail product thefts, they include increased assaults and armed robberies of [Union Pacific] employees performing their duties moving trains.”
In the meantime, the company hired additional special agents who patrol the Los Angeles Basin on a rotating schedule.
Union Pacific has constructed more than 41,000 feet of cement walls, barbed wire fences, and crash-proof fencing to secure specific areas of its right-of-way and rail yards, particularly in the Los Angeles Basin.
As certified state law enforcement officers, special agents oversee all Union Pacific sites along 32,000 miles of track in 23 states.
Like Union Pacific, BNSF has its own police force that covers 32,500 route miles across 28 states and three Canadian provinces. This force consists of more than 180 sworn agents and 20 support personnel.
Special agents carry out armed patrols across the entire network and investigate crimes occurring on railroad property, according to BNSF.
These crimes include trespassing, vandalism, train derailments, and property theft.
Union Pacific advised shippers to avoid placing identifiable information on the outside of containers, such as company names and logos, and to ensure that locking devices are functional.
“Theft-deterrent or barrier seals are recommended over plastic or tin seals, as they provide the highest level of protection from unauthorized entry into intermodal containers or trailers,” the company said.
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