The vast desert stretches of California and Arizona, traversed daily by freight trains, have now become the scene of repeated thefts. With a series of daring robberies, criminals have managed to seize loot worth over 2 million dollars in recent months. These crimes, described as particularly sophisticated, are leaving a significant mark on the shipping industry, in addition to causing enormous damage to the railways.
In January, the criminals acted with precision, tampering with the brakes of a BNSF freight train in a remote area of Arizona. The haul consisted of over 1,900 pairs of Nike shoes, valued at more than $440,000. According to legal documents, many of these shoes were exclusive models, such as the Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4, which were not yet available on the market.
Investigators have confirmed that these raids are not isolated incidents. The robberies have increased, with a growing number of individuals involved. Trains were also looted near Kingman and Seligman, with eight arrests made over $612,000 worth of stolen goods.
According to Keith Lewis, Vice President of Operations at CargoNet of Verisk, the thieves often act in a coordinated manner, taking advantage of the slow-moving carriages during track changes and targeting fragile shipments.
Authorities state that the thieves have organized into larger groups and are able to carry out increasingly sophisticated robberies. Law enforcement has identified accomplices who help the robbers track valuable shipments. The stolen goods are often thrown off the moving trains and then collected by support vehicles. Not only do they steal valuable goods, but they also damage the trains, increasing repair costs. The country’s six major railroads report losing over $100 million last year due to the robberies.
Security on locomotives and in shipping areas is therefore becoming a priority. The trade organization, the Association of American Railroads, has stated that robberies have increased by 40% over the past year, with approximately 65,000 incidents reported nationwide. Agents have stepped up security measures, but the railways, which manage over 140,000 miles of tracks in the United States, continue to face difficulties in preventing access to the most vulnerable trains.
