Sinaloa Mexican Gangs Set Fire to Cars to Stop and Rob BNSF Railroad Trains across San Bernardino County

Just when you thought California had enough crime and chaos. Organized foreign gangs have repeatedly targeted Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight trains moving through San Bernardino County and neighboring Riverside County in 2026, using coordinated vehicles and, in some cases, fire to halt trains and steal cargo, according to sheriff's officials and railroad statements.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department has described the thefts as the work of "highly controlled criminal syndicates" that quickly disable trains, remove merchandise from containers, and move stolen goods in box trucks and other vehicles. Recent recoveries have included construction tools, name-brand shoes, electronics, and other high-value freight. On Sept. 4, authorities said a group using 15 to 20 vehicles stole Ariat boots and DeWalt equipment valued at about $50,000 from a train near Amboy; two suspects later identified as residents of Sinaloa, Mexico, were arrested after an off-duty deputy spotted a matching box truck.

Days later, on Sept. 17, robbers set a stacked shipping container ablaze on a Chicago-bound BNSF train traveling through Riverside, forcing the engineer to stop and allowing thieves to burglarize cars, according to BNSF and the Riverside Fire Department. Firefighters found the top container open and burning; the long train stretched from Colton to Home Gardens. BNSF called the crimes "not victimless," noting that stolen shipments can include medicine, food, and other everyday supplies.

Similar incidents occurred earlier in the year. In June, trespassers burglarizing a rail car loaded with lithium-ion batteries in the Cajon Pass triggered a fire that burned for more than 13 hours and required hazmat crews. In August, a suspect fired at BNSF police from a moving train during an attempted burglary in the same pass; five people were later arrested, several identified as Mexican nationals. Recoveries that month included more than $123,000 in Brooks running shoes and $150,000 in New Balance shoes found in abandoned or intercepted vehicles.

Social media reports circulating Sept. 20 described a possible new tactic of burning vehicles on the tracks themselves to block trains. Those accounts have not been independently confirmed by official releases as of Sunday evening, though they fit the documented pattern of groups using fire and vehicles to stop trains in the region. Railroad police, the Sheriff's Department, and federal partners have increased enforcement, but officials say the thefts have continued despite arrests. The railroad industry has sought stronger penalties for cargo theft.