In a notable incident on January 13, suspects cut an air brake hose on a BNSF freight train traveling through a remote area of Arizona and made off with more than 1,900 pairs of unreleased Nike sneakers valued at over $440,000. Among the stolen items were the Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4s, which are not scheduled for public release until March 14, with an expected retail price of $225 per pair.

This robbery is part of a disturbing trend, with at least 10 heists targeting BNSF trains in desolate regions of the Mojave Desert since last March. Investigators revealed that nearly all of these incidents resulted in the theft of Nike sneakers.

Eleven individuals have been charged in connection with the January 13 burglary for possessing or receiving goods stolen from interstate shipment. All suspects have pleaded not guilty and are currently detained pending trial. The suspects were identified thanks to tracking devices hidden within some of the stolen boxes.

In another incident, a BNSF train made an emergency stop near Hackberry, Arizona, on November 20 due to a loss of air pressure. Sheriff’s deputies intercepted a white panel van leaving the scene and discovered about 180 pairs of unreleased Air Jordan 11 Retro Legend Blue sneakers worth $41,400.

Additional thefts near Kingman and Seligman, Arizona, last year resulted in the loss of $612,000 worth of Nike products and led to eight arrests.

Thieves often scout for merchandise on rail lines parallel to Interstate 40, boarding slow-moving trains during track changes to access shipping containers. Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at Verisk’s CargoNet and a deputy sheriff in Arizona, noted that these criminals may be tipped off about valuable shipments by associates at warehouses or trucking companies.

In one case, a Mexican man orchestrating train burglaries employed scouts to identify target trains, supplied vehicles, and facilitated the sale of stolen goods. Accomplices in “follow vehicles” help track railcars, and stolen items are typically discarded off the train during scheduled stops or after air hoses are cut.

The rising trend of cargo theft from trains has cost the nation’s six largest freight railroads over $100 million last year, factoring in the value of stolen goods and repair costs for damaged railcars. The problem is worsening, as thefts have become more organized and sophisticated. The Association of American Railroads estimates that the number of thefts surged by approximately 40% last year, reaching 65,000 nationwide.