According to court documents, some thieves have targeted freight trains crossing the deserts of California and Arizona, carrying out a series of audacious robberies. They have stolen Nike athletic shoes worth over $2 million, including many unreleased new models.
The Associated Press reports that railway trade organizations are calling for stronger federal law enforcement and increased penalties to curb train cargo theft. Railway companies estimate that only about 1 out of 10 thefts result in arrests, and many of those arrested are repeat offenders.
Court documents show that in a robbery case on the 13th of last month, the suspects cut the air brake line of a BNSF freight train traveling in a remote area of Arizona. They made off with over 1,900 pairs of unreleased new Nike shoes valued at more than $440,000.
The case involves 11 defendants, with 10 of them being Mexicans who illegally entered the United States, and one being a Mexican citizen in the process of seeking asylum.
Authorities say thieves often scout for goods on trains running parallel to Interstate 40. They board slow-moving trains, such as when freight cars are being switched or containers are being opened. According to the Los Angeles Times, sometimes the thieves receive information about valuable goods from accomplices within warehouses or freight companies.
In 2022, thieves robbed train cargo near downtown Los Angeles for months, stealing packages from across the country and discarding items they deemed worthless on the tracks.
Last year, freight train thefts cost the six largest freight railway companies in the United States over $100 million. These losses stem from the value of the stolen goods and the costs of repairing damaged freight cars. Such crimes have become increasingly rampant in recent years, with thefts becoming more organized and cunning.