January 17, 2022

"Thieves are pilfering railroad cars in a crime that harks back to the days of horseback-riding bandits..."

"... but is fueled by a host of modern realities, including the rise of e-commerce and Southern California’s role as a hub for the movement of goods.... [Adrian Guerrero, a director of public affairs for Union Pacific] estimates that about 90 cargo containers a day are compromised, sometimes by an organized group that has halted trains and recruited people living on the street to ransack the containers.... Along the tracks Saturday, a couple who said they showed up after seeing an Instagram post scanned the crush of abandoned cartons looking for something valuable. An Xbox package had caught their eye. Another man who had been waiting for a bus stopped to rummage through the debris. He found some car speakers he figured he could sell for $200 to make up for the hours he missed at work that day...."

75 comments:

hawkeyedjb said...

It's just property, so it's not a crime. In California, anyway.

David Begley said...

We are headed to Mad Max, LA.

Dan from Madison said...

"hours missed at work that day" - or he could have just, you know, worked...

rehajm said...

So many opened boxes littering the yard a train derailed…

Clyde said...

California and other blue zones are devolving into crime-ridden barbarism because the ruling Vandals want it that way:

tim maguire said...

It's all insured so it's not theft. Nobody gets hurt.

Owen said...

Shoot a few of these folks in the act and that might give them pause. Or salt the cargo with booby traps so they blow their hands off.

Incentives, people!

typingtalker said...

"A crime ... fueled by a host of modern realities, including the rise of e-commerce and Southern California’s role as a hub for the movement of goods.... "

So ... it is the fault of e-commerce that criminals break into locked containers and steal stuff. I guess I should fight crime by quitting my job and do my little bit to impoverish the US economy.

rhhardin said...

Reporters do the movie version of the reality script because audiences like it.

William said...

Not exactly a white collar crime, but it's not so bad as a mugging.. No one suffers PTSD after getting their package stolen. It does seem a labor intensive form of theft. How many packages do you have to steal and open before you hit upon something valuable? Thieves don't have that much of a work ethic. Aren't there any security measures they can take to safeguard containers and make thievery more of a chore?

Owen said...

Union Pacific is getting fed up with the pilfering and perhaps even more fed up with Soros’ DA Gascon, whose catch-and-release policy has given thieves complete license to proceed almost unhindered.

When the UP no longer runs to LA because of this mere property crime, the logistics chain, already badly weakened by the back-up at the docks, is going to break. See also Justin Trudeau’s latest genius move to close his border to unvx’d truckers. So 30,000 daily loads coming and another 30,000 going, will not be coming and going.

The irony for me is, omicron is so infectious that we will all get it; and so mild that most of us will shrug it off. Yet the Powers That Be are completely confounded. It’s almost as if this is no longer about a pathogen, but about power.

R C Belaire said...

Apparently, this is how Third World nations are made -- one city at a time.

Jersey Fled said...

It's not a crime. They just found it laying there.

gilbar said...

He found some car speakers he figured he could sell for $200 to make up for the hours he missed

$200? for hot speakers? i DOUBT IT

gilbar said...

Owen said...
The irony for me is, omicron is so infectious that we will all get it; and so mild that most of us will shrug it off.

Look Owen, it's Time You FACED FACTS!!
The Fact IS: There is something called omicron.
That means YOU Have To accept the complete abandonment of All civil liberties
It doesn't matter that it's just a headcold... It's Called OMICRON
That means YOU Have To accept the complete abandonment of All civil liberties
what are you trying to do? Kill Grandma?

AndrewV said...

When my great grandpa was an engineer on the Santa Fe the railroad bulls would have put a stop to that quick. Back then they were hard men who would issue out a beating to anyone who would try to steel from a rail car.

If the LA County DA is going to tolerate,if not encourage that kind of looting of the railroads by releasing the suspects without bail then I wouldn't be surprised if the general public calls for the old school way of dealing with the problem.

hawkeyedjb said...

Owen said...
"Union Pacific is getting fed up with the pilfering and perhaps even more fed up with Soros’ DA Gascon"

George Gascon literally could not care less about the travails of Union Pacific. They are not remotely part of his constituency. Law-abiding people, productive people, honest people are not part of Gascon's constituency. Gascon is in office to make life easier for criminals. Union Pacific can write letters and mewl and cry all they want, their complaints will have as much effect as a kitten farting in Tokyo.

Temujin said...

We've got the FBI working on watching parents at school board meetings, nosing around social media to find people who don't want to get vaccinated. Or they're working on finding doctors writing scripts for Ivermectin. And they've just started up that special domestic terror division looking to corral all Trump voters. Or they're helping to relocate illegal immigrants to other parts of the country.

So our FBI is very busy. No time to follow up on commerce criminals.

Maybe the Mayor of LA should...no..that's not possible. Or how about the Governor of California? He could...er...no...not a chance.

Looks like we're finally on our own.

Jaq said...

Theft by finding.

Leland said...

I’m surprised LA county DA hasn’t sued Union Pacific for all the litter on the track.

Jaq said...

This is all down to the world's biggest fence, eBay. On eBay, nobody knows that it's 'hot.'

wendybar said...

Joe Bidens lawless America. You can Thank George Soros for funding prosecuters who don't prosecute.

gilbar said...

AndrewV said...
Back then they were hard men who would issue out a beating to anyone who would try to steel from a rail car

i don't mean to sound Rude, but; are Y'all stupid? People here KEEP saying things like that. Here's a Protip: That Was THEN, This Is NOW

Seriously, are you commenters SO F*CKING STUPID, that you think That wouldn't bankrupt the railroad? Here's what's REALLY going to happen:
One (some) of these neobarbarians are going to get in front of a train, and get ran over
WHEN that happens, the railroad will be Sued... For MILLIONS

Y'all seem to think that we live in a world that makes sense... Wake up

Temujin said...

A 'ps' to my comment above. I forgot to mention that the FBI was also too busy this weekend trying to explain how a Muslim man entered a Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath, holding Jews hostage, contacting another rabbi in New York, and threatened to kill everyone including himself with bombs he brought- and how they would call him a random British guy who's motive could not be determined.

You think these Klowns are up to breaking up a large theft ring, destroying thousands of packages in hundreds of rail containers- with impunity?

At this point, people en masse should be asking aloud: Why do we even have an FBI?

gilbar said...

Leland said...
I’m surprised LA county DA hasn’t sued Union Pacific for all the litter on the track.

exactly! thank you Leland!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Interstate commerce, like actual achievement, used to be something serious leaders took seriously.

Humperdink said...

In response to the outcry, LA officials have placed blue recycle containers throughout the area to encourage the thieves to recycle the discarded cardboard. Unfortunately, the recycle containers were stolen overnight.

Leland said...

Unfortunately, the recycle containers were stolen overnight.

Oh no that makes them single use plastics.

I wouldn't be surprised if the general public calls for the old school way of dealing with the problem.

This is why Rittenhouse was prosecuted, to keep the general public in check.

Bob Boyd said...

by an organized group that has halted trains and recruited people living on the street to ransack the containers...

Ah HA! I was right. Fagin's behind this.

Mrs Whatsit said...

" . . . about 90 cargo containers a day are compromised, sometimes by an organized group that has halted trains . . ."

Where's Woodcock?

Yancey Ward said...

"If the LA County DA is going to tolerate,if not encourage that kind of looting of the railroads by releasing the suspects without bail then I wouldn't be surprised if the general public calls for the old school way of dealing with the problem."

While the LA County DA is a cretin, robbing railroad cars is covered under US federal statutes. This is the responsibility of the US Transportation Secretary and the US Attorney General.

Dad said...

Where's Mark Rober?

Leland said...

Where's the Lock Picking Lawyer?

Iman said...

Forget it, Jake. It’s L.A.

Limited blogger said...

One guy was 'rummaging', not looting

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Looting, theft, crime in every direction. claps hands... More please...I want my Democracy now!

Mike of Snoqualmie said...

LA County D.A. Gascon, Canada's PM Trudeau and the looters are examples of neobarbarians. Gascon won't do his job and when he does it, it's to prosecute his enemies and give his buddies, the looters a pass.

Trudeau want truckers to take a useless vaccine that won't keep the truckers safe. The truckers spend most of their time alone in their cabs. No one to pass the evil COVID to. These vaccines don't stop the spread of the evil COVID and work poorly with omicron. But, Trudeau has turned Canada into a fascist hell where people have no say in their lives anymore. Obey, or else!

Mike of Snoqualmie said...

The looters are just neighbors of the Union Pacific rail line. They live in the vagrant camps nearby. These looters enjoy the liberty of the catch and release policies of Gascon. Arrest at 10:00 a.m., out back on the street by 11:00 a.m.

Progressivism is neobarbarism.

Chris N said...

It's good to see an L.A. Times writer stop race-politics opinioneering long enough to notice a social media thread about package supply-chain pilfering.

You know, in their own rail yard.



Josephbleau said...

This should be illegal. It is pure discriminatory ableisim. What about the sick and infirm who are not capable of breaking into a container or ripping open the boxes? Why do we let them suffer deprivation? These sustenance gleaners must be required to set aside 20% of the boxes with the top seal tape cut in locations at street level so that all of America's disadvantaged can reap the bounty of democracy.

Wilbur said...

I repeat myself from the same story last week.

Another success story for Commerce Secretary Pete.

Continuing to make Gail Collins and Bret Stephens proud.

Jaq said...

eBay's army of porch pirates have organized themselves. Who would have thought that criminals respond to incentives?

Browndog said...

The IRS inserted a new rule this year: Thieves must declare the monetary value of stolen merchandise on their taxes.

Dave Begley said...

Wilbur:

Pete is Secretary of Transportation, not Secretary of Commerce. That makes this looting of trains - a vital mode of transportation - even more his problem.

Pete is total and complete failure and the Fake News never brings it up.

Paul said...

Here in the south after hurricanes the sheriffs say... "You Loot, We Shoot" and the looting stops.

Simple, no?

Paul said...

Blogger Browndog said...

"The IRS inserted a new rule this year: Thieves must declare the monetary value of stolen merchandise on their taxes."

Actually that IS in the IRS regulations.. How do you think Capone was caught?

Browndog said...

Derailing trains to pilfer the boxcars? Who had that in their "Biden's America" pool?

Sitting target: Train full of packages DERAILS outside of LA depot among discarded Amazon and UPS parcels ransacked by thieves

By Andrea Blanco and Tommy Taylor For Dailymail.Com

Published: 02:12 EST, 16 January 2022

Browndog said...

Paul said...

Thanks for the correction. Looked into it:

"The rule dates back to a Supreme Court case in 1927 that decided that the government is allowed to tax illegal income."

hombre said...

JESSE JAMES LIVES!

Aggie said...

'Horseback-riding' bandits, eh? And no posse in sight. Let's just reflect on how that is destined to turn out.

As for the Yard Bulls, if they were to dare to lift a club to the 'property-theft-is-no-crime Youts', the local AG's would have their ass in a no-bail sling faster than you could say "George Soros", and spit.

Scotty, beam me up... said...

These stories in cities run by Soros puppet DA’s and politicians are starting to paint a picture. Stories like the ransacked containers, not prosecuting almost any crime, including child rape (Gascon is refusing to imprison a 26 yo M-F transgender person named Hannah Tubbs for raping a 10 yo girl 8 years ago when (s)he was 2 weeks shy of 18 despite a guilty plea because he is treating the perp as underage and not as an adult) is what the citizens are getting as a thank you for electing these lawless DA’s. Analyzing the lack of any type of prosecutions by these Soros backed DA’s, it’s almost like the end game for the far left is anarchy in this country so that law and order implodes. The far left politicians (again backed by Soros and his ilk) then swoop in with promises of security under their control. Desperate people are willing to give up their Constitutional rights and freedoms for safety. Voila! The great experiment and shining beacon to the world collapses into a “benevolent” dictatorship run by the left. The next thing you know, the USA will look like any Communist country in the past century. This is starting to look like the dark world as created by Christopher Nolan in his three Batman movies.

Leland said...

Pete is total and complete failure and the Fake News never brings it up.

Too busy noting Kamala Harris as a complete failure.

Bruce Hayden said...

The Union Pacific has sent a letter to the LA county DA complaining that when these train robbers are arrested, they are out doing it again the next day, and as a result, the railroad is going to just route all their trains around LA county if this isn’t stopped.

Owen said...

Scotty, beam me up...@9:40: "...it’s almost like the end game for the far left is anarchy in this country so that law and order implodes. The far left politicians (again backed by Soros and his ilk) then swoop in with promises of security under their control...."

Ya think? Cloward-Piven Strategy, which for me compresses down to Lenin's saying as he drove the Revolution onward: "The worse, the better."

Plan accordingly.

Joe Smith said...

Start shooting looters and leave the bodies on the tracks.

Problem solved, and the buzzards will appreciate it.

tolkein said...

I assume at this stage that the likes of Gascon are financed, ultimately, by organised crime.

Josephbleau said...

Economists have told us for years about the benefits of sourcing manufactured goods from China. They have been justified, look at the benefits of this policy to the poor!

'and as a result, the railroad is going to just route all their trains around LA county if this isn’t stopped.'

And look at the benefits to local air quality, noise, and congestion!

'the USA will look like any Communist country in the past century. '

A great plan for the reduction of illegal immigration!

s/ J Pisaki.

Michael K said...

as a result, the railroad is going to just route all their trains around LA county if this isn’t stopped.

That is an interesting threat. What are they going to do? LA County includes the port. Both ports.

John henry said...

Mike,

Don't forget that Trudeau is not elected prime Minister, he is appointed prime Minister by queen Elizabeth through her appointed Canadian governor General.

He is not "Canada's prime Minister" he is the HRH the queen's prime Minister for Canada.

In other words, he does not have to give two shits, or even o e, for the needs of Elizabeth Canadian subjects.

No food because trucks can't cross the border? Fuck 'em. That why they are subjects.

John LGBTQBNY Henry

Jokah Macpherson said...

I think the shopkeeper on Koholint island had the right idea about how to deal with a THIEF.

BarrySanders20 said...

I knew this major disorder with photo evidence would prompt an AA blogpost.

stlcdr said...

Crime, LA

Kind of redundant. To us on the outside, at least.

Lurker21 said...

Is the LAT only noticing this now?

There's enough garbage near the tracks to suggest that this has been going on for months.

LA is a great big hobo jungle.
In a week, maybe two, you'll rob a box car.

Wilbur said...

Dave Begley said...
Wilbur:

Pete is Secretary of Transportation, not Secretary of Commerce. That makes this looting of trains - a vital mode of transportation - even more his problem.
___________________________________________________________________________

You are most correct, sir, and I appreciate the correction.

PM said...

The other end of crowd-sourcing Nieman Marcus.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

Joe Smith said...
Start shooting looters and leave the bodies on the tracks.

Pretty sure that, unlike the murders of law abiding "black" and "brown" people, the Soros prosecutor Gascon would actually prosecute those killings

Iman said...

Some people think that I must be crazy
But my real name is just Jesse James
An I left them half-crocked, hard-knocks of Riverside County
Just to loot on that dope L.A. Train
Lootin’ on that dope L.A. Freight Train
Lootin’ on that dope L.A. Line
Lootin’ on that dope L.A. Freight Train
And I left some trash behind
Yeah I left some trash behind

TestTube said...

The highwayman and pirate are far more romantic, exciting and sympathetic when viewed from the distance of a few centuries.

Narayanan said...

maybe-it-is-not-about-charity

Gascon must follow Ricochet

Narayanan said...

maybe-it-is-not-about-charity

Gascon must follow Ricochet

rcocean said...

And the nationality/Race of the "Organized looters" is what? WASPs? Lutherans? Beverly Hills Jews?

Funny how they're so tight-lipped about that. Reminds me of the Daily Mail article that described the man who pushed an Asian women in front a NYC subway Train, as a "tall Man in torn blue shirt". Race? Unknown.

rcocean said...

We look back and romantisize (sp) Old Western Bandits, Indian renegades, Scottish Highlanders, Pirates, and even 1920s Gangsters. But at the time, everyone just thought of them as criminals, muderers, and thieves and they very, very, glad when they were subduded, jailed, and even executed.

Its only from the distance of time they become even the slightest bit interesting or attractive. Someone wrote that your sympathy with Indian tribes in 1850s was an inverse of how far you were from the Frontier. Teddy Roosevelt went to North Dakota with a typical "Lo, the poor Indian" attitude and had a change of view after encountering real honest to God Indians.

If people think these train looters are sympathetic, its only because they aren't paying for their theivery.

Owen said...

Greg The Class Traitor @ 12:52: "...the Soros prosecutor Gascon would actually prosecute those killings." No doubt, but only if he had enough evidence to assemble a case. No body, no crime.

The rest is left to the reader as an exercise.

retail lawyer said...

I think Yancy Ward is correct - this is a Federal crime. The LA DA should not be able to release these miscreants. Of course, the Federal government is currently on the side of the miscreants, assuming they are BIPOC, which seems a safe assumption at this point.

Gahrie said...

That is an interesting threat. What are they going to do? LA County includes the port. Both ports

Force everyone to ship their shit up to San Berdoo on trucks and then put them on a train.