On March 2, personnel from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations received information regarding a potential burglary involving a BNSF freight train in the area of Jack Rabbit, just outside of Joseph City.
The train was expected to stop in the area later in the afternoon and may have been targeted for a burglary. During surveillance of the area, investigators observed several individuals actively burglarizing boxcars and removing high-value merchandise. The suspects were seen unloading the merchandise and placing it into a box trailer and a U-Haul truck.
Law enforcement personnel responded to the location of the train. When officers arrived, the vehicles and individuals involved fled the scene. A black van occupied by several suspects was observed fleeing the area. Spike strips were deployed, successfully deflating the driver-side tires of the van and disabling the vehicle. The occupants then fled on foot. A U-Haul truck involved in the incident was also stopped; however, the occupants exited the vehicle and fled on foot.
Another vehicle towing a box trailer fled the area but later abandoned the trailer along the roadway. The trailer was located and found to contain stolen merchandise, which was returned to BNSF.
With assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and BNSF personnel, law enforcement conducted a coordinated search of the surrounding area. Eight suspects who fled on foot were located and taken into custody. All eight individuals were identified as undocumented foreign nationals. The suspects were transported to Flagstaff for further investigation and were later turned over to federal authorities.
All remaining recovered property was released to BNSF. Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse stated, “This investigation highlights the importance of strong partnerships between local and federal law enforcement. Because of the coordinated efforts of all agencies involved, the suspects were quickly located and taken into custody, and the stolen property was successfully recovered.”
