LOS ANGELES (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is promising statewide coordination as law enforcement and prosecutors go after thieves who have been raiding cargo containers aboard trains nearing downtown Los Angeles for months, leaving the tracks blanketed with discarded boxes.
The governor on Thursday joined a cleanup crew from the state Department of Transportation filling dozens of trash bags with crushed cardboard from packages stolen on their way from retailers to people across the U.S.
Last week TV news stations aired overhead video showing thousands of boxes strewn by thieves along a Union Pacific rail line northeast of downtown in the Lincoln Park area. Footage from NBC4 showed two men, one holding what looked like bolt cutters, walking along the tracks.
“It looked like a third world country, these images, the drone images that were on the nightly news,” Newsom told reporters gathered Thursday along the cleaned up tracks.
The governor said his new budget proposal includes funds to expand the Organized Retail Theft Task Force created last year when Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities saw organized groups of roving thieves carrying out smash-and-grab robberies at retail stores.
The train thieves are equally organized and need to be prosecuted as such, Newsom said.
“These folks are arrested as if they are individuals that are not going connected to the whole, and we need to change that,” he said.
At least 280 arrests have been made in connection with the train thefts, the governor said. But he didn’t know over what period the arrests occurred or where they are in the prosecution process.
In December, Union Pacific sent a letter to LA County District Attorney George Gascón’s urging more aggressive prosecutions for cargo thieves and calling for an end to a no-bail policy for some defendants aimed at reducing overcrowding at jails during the coronavirus pandemic.
“These individuals are generally caught and released back onto the streets in less than twenty-four hours. Criminals boast to our officers that charges will be pled down to simple trespassing — which bears no serious consequence,” the letter said.
A statewide policy of imposing $0 bail for misdemeanors and lower-level felonies ended in 2020, but it was kept in place within the LA County Superior Court system. Republicans have repeatedly called for an end to zero-bail.
“Criminals know how to exploit California’s policies for their gain,” said state Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk, whose district includes northern LA County.
Gascón’s office said it was “committed to working with law enforcement to ensure collective safety across Los Angeles County’s sprawling infrastructure, whether it’s at our ports or on railroad tracks.”
“Some cases presented to our office by Union Pacific have been filed, such as burglary and grand theft, while others have been declined due to insufficient evidence. We make charging decisions based on the evidence. Our office takes Union Pacific’s concerns seriously and hopes to discuss this issue more in the coming weeks,” said Alex Bastian, Special Advisor to Gascón.
A group of Republican U.S. Representatives on Thursday sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for federal assistance in cracking down on thefts that have disrupted the supply chain.
The California Highway Patrol said it was expanding its own retail theft task force that will allow it to beef up patrols and better coordinate with police, the sheriff’s department and Union Pacific’s security force. Union Pacific and other railroad firms employ their own police forces accredited by the state to protect its rail lines.
CHP Captain Charlie Sampson said the task force’s expansion will allow for more patrol officers and investigators.
“We’ve already assign the personnel for it, and the commander that’s going to oversee it,” Sampson said. “And it’s going to be a full time effort.”
On Wednesday, LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said a specialized unit within his department that focused on cargo thefts was eliminated because of funding cuts. He said his office, along with Union Pacific and federal agencies, are working on a plan to add more security and patrols along the tracks.
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Welcome to your own political chaos, Gavin.
“Criminals know how to exploit California’s policies for their gain,” said state Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk, whose district includes northern LA County.”
You planted the seeds—biw tiy cab see the mature plant.
TILL armed guards get put in these areas, WITH FULL AUTHORITY to shoot to kill, these mass lotting gangs, NOTHING will stop them…
Most criminals are NOT stupid. Democrats however are mostly stupid, since liberalism is indeed a mental illness. Criminals fully support the democrat party and policies, since democrats fully support criminals. Just look at the corrupt puppet in the white house for the past year, he is and has always been corrupt, his entire family is corrupt and criminal. IMHO
And i wonder, DOES his quips, about “THE TRAIN companies need to do BETTER in security”, mean they ARE NOW AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT LOOTERS on sight?
Gavin is not just a total hypocrite, but he is a total moron too! Go figure Yeah, he needs to be the next democrat presidential candidate, cuz democrats just LOVE total morons..
This is what he is working for , running for the potus in 2024 or 2028 , I’ll bet money on it.
It warmed my heart to see so many of Jeff Bezo’s Amazon boxes open, empty and missing their made in Chinese goods. He won’t be contributing anymore millions to Newsom’s campaign any time soon. There is no way Newsom could have avoided a recall unless the wrong people counted the votes. Investigate the recall and see what they have planned for 2022.
One wonders, ALL THOSE WHO GOT those goods, that are now stolen, are they having to pay DOUBLE< to get it a 2nd time??
Epiphany for Newsom? The People’s Republic of California ‘is’ a third-word country Gavin; the one that you and your party created…
That is an excellent point! Have you seen the streets of LA and SF? It is worse than a third world country. Maybe a new definition is necessary, like a fourth world country. 🙂
Los Angeles, San Francisco and other cities saw organized groups of roving thieves carrying out smash-and-grab robberies at retail stores and getting away with unpunished crimes in Democrat ruled cities and States.
One has to be very Deranged, Stupid or on good drugs to want the treasonous, corrupt, dishonest Democrat Party to rule them.
I’ve seen some 3rd world nations looking NICER than the streets of LA And San fran have been…
This has been going on for months and he just now finds out? He really knows what’s going on in his city doesn’t he? Typical damn democrat!
AND why is it, IF THESE robberies have been going on for MONTHS ON END< are we only NOW having the news REPORT ON IT???
He is too busy having lunch at the Laundry Restaurant to know what is happening in the state.
And whose fault is it?? It’s yours and your fellow democrats. Now clean your meds up
TILL they replace the LEFTIST soros funded AG’s, nothing can be done TO CLEAN that mess up…
don’t worry, gavy-baby
it’s just your friendly homeless and illegal aliens(you know the ones you SPEND the TAXES on, instead of helping working citizens
Well, he and joe have a lot in common, never see the problem, never accept the blame and never fix the problem.
That’s ingrained into the DNA, of every DEMOCRAT out there…
He’s been oblivious or sleepwalking throughout his entire term, never in touch with the people but oh so involved with the liberal woke culture.
What an idiot to think his irrational orders and soft on criminals stance wouldn’t eventually come back to bite him. Certainly hope all the dogs who destroy and steal were wearing a mask because newsom knows the mask is the most important rule he has ordered his subjects to follow. CA you are getting what you voted for, again!! lawlessness, fear for your lives, working to support the entitled, 100%complete chaos. Enjoy!!!
What do you want to bet that the only reason he’s aware of this now, after all the time it’s been going on (Fox has covered it for a couple of weeks now, so…) is because he or his wife didn’t get something they ordered and he wanted an immediate investigation why?
OR someone in his office, had stuff that was on one of those trains, that got ransacked…
Soooooo how’s that WOKE thing working for you NOW?????
“Thine alabaster cities gleam/Undimmed by human tears”……sorry, a bit out of date.
The incredibly STUPID residents of California (I’m sure not all of them are STUPID) had an opportunity to get rid of this A$$ Hat!
But, like Californians have done in the past several years, they make incredibly bad choices. No wonder so many “not stupid” Californians are moving out of the state.
When we get a Republican president, we need to send the military in and retake California.
JUST Wall the state off, and SEAL IT UP SHUT!