FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Coconino County Sheriff’s officials say two people have been arrested in connection with a recent train burglary in northern Arizona.
On May 29, detectives and federal agents were alerted to a train burglary underway near Meteor Crater, along Interstate 40, east of Flagstaff.
BNSF Railway personnel reported that multiple people were removing merchandise from a stopped train and loading it into vehicles along the tracks.
Detectives located one of the suspect vehicles in the area and conducted a traffic stop, leading to the arrest of two people.
A box truck matching a description of one of the other vehicles was later spotted along I-40, but the driver failed to yield to deputies. The truck then crashed, and two men inside the truck ran from the scene. CCSO says the pair has not been located.
Property recovered during the investigation totaled more than $500,000, but it’s unclear what type of merchandise was stolen.
Officials say anyone with information relating to this investigation or other train burglary cases is asked to contact CCSO.
This is just one of numerous investigations into train burglaries in northern Arizona.
We reported last year on these types of crimes, learning that there were more than 65,000 train thefts across North America in 2024 - a nearly 40% jump from the year before - according to a report.
Many of the robberies happen in the southwest, where organized crews hit freight trains moving through rural areas.
Last month, KTAR News reported on what Yavapai County officials call a “dangerous trend” involving members of a California crime network. In one case, a semi-truck was even targeted in a heist in April near Ash Fork.
Learn more about train robberies, and what officials are doing about them, from our previous coverage in the video player above.
