Viral Video Shows Stunning Amount of Package Theft From Trains While DA Is Missing in Action – Opinion

We’ve seen a lot of problems with the supply chain leading to delays of packages and bare shelves. Joe Biden claims success despite the lack of shelves, and the identical number of ships that were stuck at Long Beach and Los Angeles when he said he’d be officially addressing this issue.

But ships and trucks having issues aren’t the only problem.

Photojournalist John Schreiber for CBS’ LA affiliate posted an eye-opening thread about train burglaries in Los Angeles. This thread went viral with over 5.6million views. These stunning images show UPS parcels and empty Amazon boxes scattered all across the tracks. If you’re missing a package, this might be the reason why.

As the scanner kept resounding with reports of LA train burglaries, I decided to go there. #LincolnHeightsTo see it all. And… there’s looted packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon Packages @UPS boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. On trains, cargo containers were left open. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/JvNF4UVy2K

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 13, 2022

I’m told by law enforcement these @UPS bags are especially sought after by thieves opening cargo containers… they are often full of boxes with merchandise bound for residential addresses. The cargo containers containing bulky, low-value items such as toilet paper are more valuable than those containing high value merchandise. pic.twitter.com/Tj5bQNIeby

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 13, 2022

Schreiber claimed that there were many things on the tracks bound for the Northwest.

You may be wondering how this could have happened. While they’re waiting for the train to arrive at their destination, the trains slow down and pull into that spot. The thieves break into the containers to take everything.

This is where trains stop or slow down as they work into the railroad tracks. @UnionPacificNear Downtown LA is an intermodal facility. The thieves use this opportunity to break open containers and take what’s inside. I’d say every 4th or 5th rail car had opened containers. pic.twitter.com/PHpujyB84M

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 13, 2022

Consider this when you see the remnants left on the tracks. It is only. 30 days’ worthThefts are a major problem in this area.

Are you missing a parcel? Shipment delayed? Your package might be one of thousands that were discarded by the railroad tracks. It is just one of many areas where thieves target trains. This area had been cleaned up just 30 days before we arrived. What you see was all done within the past month. @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/43002DPyZa

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 13, 2022

The fact that these thefts are going on is rather obvious — it’s spread out all over the tracks. What have the police done to prevent this from happening? The LAPD isn’t responsible for policing the trains — the Union Pacific has their own police. They arrest people and chase them away. But it’s Los Angeles, so there’s a small problem — as soon as they arrest the people, they’re back out and likely back at it.

Responsibility for policing the railroad right of way falls on Union Pacific Police… not local agencies like LAPD. Union Pacific Police did chase two individuals off the tracks today and kept an eye on everything. pic.twitter.com/M5aQSrkGZW

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 14, 2022

They’ve arrested 100 people in three months, according to Schreiber, but then they’re “released within 24 hours” and back out on the tracks.

What’s new today? My colleague @CBSLAKristineTalked with @UnionPacificConcerning train theft, they gave her this December letter which they sent to the LA County DA. UP says they arrested > 100 people in last 3 months but many were fined and released within 24 hours. https://t.co/YyqKkxvaWE

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 14, 2022

Here we are @CBSLAKristine has the LA County DA’s response to Union Pacific’s claims. DA says some cases have moved forward… others lack sufficient evidence. https://t.co/IOWBvuOoRy

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 15, 2022

Union Pacific reports that 90 containers are being broken into each day. This is 356 percent more theft than the previous year. UP is now considering rerouting its trains out of LA county, so they don’t have to deal with this, but are begging the DA to be harder on the thieves.

The DA says some of the cases are moving forward but some are dismissed for “lack of sufficient evidence.” Maybe they need to check the evidence that’s all over the tracks? Notice they don’t say how much of each in response. I’m willing to bet far more dismissed than moving ahead.

Union Pacific is saying they haven’t been contacted about any court proceedings, which indicates that the response from the LA County DA is likely a lot of gas.

The problem is that given it’s Los Angeles — even with “evidence,” if it’s just a theft charge, it’s likely that it will often just be dismissed. We’ve written at some length about the great failures of the radical approach of Los Angeles County D.A. George Gascon seems to feel that his only role is to safeguard the criminal. Unfortunately, it’s a problem with leftist DAs now taking over in high-profile positions across the country.

When you don’t address the problem, this is the kind of result you get.