SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CA — An off-duty San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputy heading home Friday discovered three suspects driving a stolen box truck loaded with boots and tools. His vigilance was lauded this week as investigators attempt to find nearly 19 more of the stolen trucks.
About 9:45 p.m., Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Investigators notified Morongo Basin Station deputies of a train heist near the unincorporated area of Amboy. In the theft, about 20 box trucks were stolen from a train, according to investigators. The cargo? Ariat boots and Dewalt construction equipment, all valued at over $50,000.
Eddiel Burgos and Pastor Pena Lerma were placed under arrest and were booked into the Morongo Basin Jail on pending charges of Commercial Burglary and Grand Theft of Cargo valued at over $950.
About an hour after the theft, an off-duty Morongo Basin Station MET Deputy Ranslem was heading home when he noticed a white box truck and three Hispanic men inside, matching the description and direction of travel, according to Deputy S. Tokar of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
"Two occupants immediately fled from the truck while a third remained inside, detained by California Highway Patrol Officers," Tokar stated. Two of the three suspects were found, one hiding in a bush just north of where the truck was stopped. One remains unidentified as of this report.
"This incident highlights the increasing concern surrounding train cargo thefts and organized efforts to steal merchandise from freight trains," Tokar said. "These thefts have become more frequent and involve highly controlled criminal syndicates working together to quickly disable trains, remove cargo from containers, then transport stolen property to various locations. In this case, the attentiveness of an off-duty MET deputy played a critical role in identifying a suspicious vehicle, which allowed deputies to quickly intervene and recover a significant amount of stolen property."
Deputy Ranslem's actions were praised by the department.
"(His) actions demonstrate how recognizing and promptly reporting suspicious activity can make a significant difference in an active investigation and help prevent stolen property from being further distributed," they said. The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information about the Amboy truck theft should call 760-366-4175. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may submit a We-Tip at https://mobile.catapultems.com/sbcsd/Sites or text "REPORT" to (844) 909-3006.
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