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On April 1, 2025, Overhaul enabled a recovery of rail freight cargo in California. That evening, the Overhaul GSOC alerted that a shipment was being pilfered from its container on rail near Phelan, CA. The Overhaul LE Connect team coordinated with the BNSF Railroad police to locate where the theft had occurred. By utilizing our real-time location and critical sensor data, they obtained the information needed to pinpoint that location.
It is a well-known practice for rail cargo thieves in this area of the country to board targeted trains in areas where the train must slow down. They’ll then search multiple containers while the freight train is in motion before throwing the pilfered cargo from the train. Accomplices then arrive to collect it.
As such, Law Enforcement was directed to the location that indicated the first activity. They were able to locate the pilfered cargo and perform a full recovery as the cargo lay beside the tracks. Multiple suspects were apprehended in the process.
Rail theft in California
While pilferage from rail is common, recoveries of cargo stolen from rail are rare. Cargo on rail is notoriously difficult to secure, requiring granular, real-time visibility to be able to identify stolen cargo before it arrives at destination. Even with this granular visibility, the lack of direct control of the cargo while on rail presents a problem. Coupled with the remote locations where these train thefts often happen, recoveries can be near impossible.
Cargo theft in California is also a concern all its own. Year over year, California remains one of is not the most high-risk states, as evidenced by our cargo theft heat maps. There are a variety of reasons why criminal groups target California, including the large amount of goods that move through the state, as well as the specific product types. In the end, this means that rail theft in California is a particularly notorious crime.
Strategies for preventing rail theft
According to the Association of American Railroads (AAR), 65,000 cargo thefts occurred on railways in the United States in 2024. Compared to 2023, this number represents a 40% increase. In total, these thefts cost railroads more than $100 million, highlighting just how severe rail theft repercussions can be.
Overhaul recommends that shippers of targeted and high-demand or high-value products over rail employ as many visibility solutions as able. The ability to pinpoint the location and time of theft enables coordination and cooperation of local law enforcement agencies. These pieces of data are crucial to the law enforcement officers’ success.
Over rail, there is far less control of the cargo when compared to over the road. For this reason, contextual intelligence, remote compliance monitoring, and real-time visibility are a must. Additionally, an immediate escalation process with a path to effective police force engagement is critical to recognizing and recovering stolen goods.
How Overhaul stops rail theft in California and beyond
Overhaul’s risk prevention capabilities regarding rail are unmatched. In 2024, Overhaul managed over 2,500 Incident Response Operations across the globe, 100 of which were conducted on U.S. rail networks. From these 100 incidents, Overhaul assisted in the recovery of $35 million in stolen cargo. Our 24/7 risk monitoring, expert intelligence team, and multimodal capabilities all enable active theft prevention, holistic support, and in worst case scenarios, aid in cargo theft recoveries.
Whether you’re shipping via rail through Los Angeles or to countries overseas, visibility and risk monitoring solutions are non-negotiable. Reach out today to learn more about how Overhaul keeps your supply chain protected.
