At least 50 thieves descended on a freight train in Chicago’s West Side to ransack whatever items they could get their hands on. The group of wayward opportunists swarmed the Union Pacific train on Friday to steal multiple boxes before officers arrived.
The robbery occurred just before 4pm in the 400 block of North Lamon Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood. The massive heist forced the train to suspend its operations. In a statement on X.com, Metra said that “train service is temporarily suspended due to ongoing police activity near Kedzie.”
On Friday, thieves swarmed the Union Pacific train and stole multiple boxes of items before officers arrived. The statement continued: “Metra encourages customers to seek alternate transportation at this time.”
Crazy footage taken of the scene revealed the coordinated nature of the robbery. People can be seen scrambling over the tracks to an open freight container where several men are busy removing boxes. The men then hand the cargo off to others who carry them across the tracks to waiting trucks.
When authorities arrived, they drew their firearms and aimed them toward one of the vehicles. Estimates place the number of thieves somewhere between 50 to 150, according to ABC7.
This isn’t the first time that this railway has been targeted. In August, thieves looted a freight train near Lawler and Kinzie in the city’s West Side, managing to carry off an impressive haul, including several boxes containing TVs.
In a statement, a Union Pacific spokesperson condemned the brazen theft: “Rail burglaries pose a safety threat to the public, our employees and local law enforcement officers.”
Dozens of suspects looted a freight train carrying cargo on the city’s west side this afternoon, stealing merchandise, including TVs. Video from Skycam9 captured this unfolding, including the moment police arrived. Authorities: At least 6 people were taken into custody. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/k5FnVrdv06
— Courtney Spinelli (@CourtSpinelliTV) October 12, 2024
Authorities are actively investigating the incident, although it is unclear if any arrests have been made. Chicago authorities could not be reached for comment at this time.
This is a developing story.
