Public Safety
LAPD says $1 million in stolen rail cargo recovered in Whittier
A multiagency task force recovered 59 pallets of merchandise from a Whittier business and arrested its owner, according to police.
Los Angeles police announced October 6 that detectives recovered an estimated $1 million in property allegedly stolen from BNSF and Union Pacific rail shipments during a September 30 search of Shoes n Shoes in Whittier.
Recovered: 59 pallets of cargo
Goods listed by police: Yeti drinkware, shoes from several brands, JanSport backpacks and Shark vacuums
Case status: Investigation ongoing
Owner arrested
LAPD said investigators arrested the business owner on suspicion of receiving stolen property. An arrest is not a conviction, and the department’s release did not identify any filed criminal charges or court finding.
NBC Los Angeles reported that the search followed a multiagency operation involving LAPD’s Cargo Theft Task Force and police units serving Union Pacific, BNSF, the Alameda Corridor and the Port of Los Angeles, along with Los Angeles County District Attorney investigators.
Value attributed to police
The $1 million valuation and the characterization of the merchandise as stolen come from LAPD. The department said the investigation remains open and asked anyone with information to contact its Commercial Crimes Division.
Official release: Los Angeles Police Department →
Original local report: NBC Los Angeles →