Train cargo theft cost railroads more than $100 million in 2024
(InvestigateTV) — Train cargo theft cost U.S. railroads more than $100 million in 2024, according to industry estimates.
Experts say those robbing the rails are sometimes highly organized criminal operations, and the threat needs to be addressed because of a spike in cases.
The Association of American Railroads estimates that over 65,000 thefts occurred in 2024, representing a roughly 40% increase over the prior year.
Arizona Nike heists highlight growing problem
In northern Arizona, thieves targeted trains shipping unreleased Nike shoes in back-to-back months. In December 2024, nearly $50,000 worth of Nikes were stolen. Then, in January 2025, more than $200,000 worth of shoes were taken.
In the second case, court records reveal thieves cut the air hose for the train’s brake system in a rural area, forcing the train to stop and allowing the suspects to unload the shoes. That same day, law enforcement tracked down trucks involved in the theft, made arrests and recovered the merchandise.
“I was kinda shocked. I never heard of anything like that, just things that you see in movies,” said Victor Gonzalez, owner of Vickz Kickz, a Phoenix sneaker store.
Gonzalez said unreleased sneakers are in high demand and can triple or double their retail value on the street.
Scott Jones, a union representative for rail workers, said long trains with miles of cars are especially vulnerable to crime.
“They wait until the train gets out into a more desolate, remote area where you have fewer law enforcement and people that could report any type of suspicious activity,” Jones said.
In 2022, thousands of stolen packages lined the tracks in Los Angeles after thieves emptied cars as they sat or slowly moved through the city. The scene prompted a crackdown using security cameras, artificial intelligence and fencing combined with increased patrols. Nearly a year after those images were taken, more than 20 people had been arrested in connection with the theft of $18 million in merchandise.
Federal task force needed
Law enforcement officials say the heists commonly involve transnational theft groups, which have caught lawmakers’ attention.
Chief Will Johnson with the BNSF Railway’s Police Department has been pushing for federal action.
“Having the ability to have a federally directed task force with the U.S. attorney’s office is the only way we are going to be able to peer into those organized networks and dismantle the command and control that is taking place,” Johnson said.
Johnson testified at a U.S. Senate hearing examining the threat to consumers and the supply chain. He said the Mexican national nexus for rail freight is the strongest connection to international operations.
“Because the cops in the field can keep arresting the bad actors every day, but until we take out the command and control of these organizations, this crime threat is going to persist,” Johnson said.
Federal agents say thieves often cut the train’s air brakes to control when the train stops to steal cargo.
This creates a dangerous situation that can cause the train to derail.
From boxes of shoes stolen in Arizona to cases of beer cargo taken in Texas to suspects being caught unloading TVs from a train in Tennessee, these crimes affect American consumers.
“Homeland Security investigations estimate that the annual loss from cargo theft accounts for 15 to 35 billion dollars annually. Of course, these costs are ultimately shouldered by customers, when retailers raise costs to cover losses,” said Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana.
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