Gavin Newsom asks, 'What the hell is going on?' after seeing thousands of stolen, trashed delivery boxes along LA train tracks — and he's massively mocked



California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom donned work gloves and was recorded on video Thursday helping clean up the thousands of delivery boxes strewn along Los Angeles railroad tracks — the result of large-scale, organized looting from broken-into cargo cars that's been an ongoing problem but which only received wider attention after images of the tracks went viral.

Keep hearing of train burglaries in LA on the scanner so went to #LincolnHeights to see it all. And\u2026 there\u2019s looted packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon packages, @UPS boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains. @CBSLApic.twitter.com/JvNF4UVy2K
— John Schreiber (@John Schreiber) 1642116644

Newsom spoke to reporters after taking a break from toting trashed cardboard boxes and other refuse — and said he was as shocked as everybody else after seeing what looked like a "third-world country" along the rails.

“I see what you see ... I see what everybody's seeing, asking myself, 'What the hell is going on?' I mean, it looked like a third-world country, these images, the drone images that were on the nightly news, day in and day out," he said. "Some networks weaponizing them for their own political agenda, and others just reporting the damn news."

He added that "this is not one-off; this is organized theft. They’re organized groups of folks that move from site to site. When there's more attention — a bright light — on one site, they move to the next site."

California's Newsom blasts 'organized theft' of trainsyoutu.be

KCBS-TV reported that Newsom also complained that those responsible for the package thefts "are arrested as ... individuals, as though they are not connected to the whole — and we need to change that.” He said 280 suspected thieves have been arrested so far, the station added.

More from KCBS:

From October 2020 to October 2021 rail theft has exponentially increased by 356%, according to Union Pacific. In a letter addressed to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, the company blamed what it called a “spiraling crisis” on the no cash bail policy put forth by the District Attorney’s office and said many of the arrested suspects return the next day.

“It’s not just arrest and walk away,” Newsom said, according to KCBS. “You got to do the work and present the case and see folks prosecuted — not condoning this behavior. There is nothing acceptable about this behavior.”

The station said the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol have been charged with cracking down on the rail theft.

Newsom mocked as a 'hack' and a 'worthless dolt'

Newsom's "what the hell is going on?" reaction seemed to push the mockery buttons of certain observers:

  • "'Yeah, boy, how did that happen?' he looked around asking," podcaster and editor Stephen L. Miller offered sarcastically in regard to Newsom.
  • "What a hack," another user said of the governor. "You advocate and support the policies that enable these felons to move from 'site to site,' robbing and threatening our safety. Resign you worthless dolt!"
  • "Folks? They’re 'folks' now? They’re criminals that are let loose back on the streets by the CA criminal justice system with little or no repercussions," another commenter wrote. "Many the same day. Most studies show that a small number of criminals perpetrate a large % of crimes. Lock. Them. Up."
  • "He does a photo-op cleaning up the mess, after pictures of this fiasco went viral," another commenter noted. "As if this will solve the problem…"
  • "He's complaining more about how the news covers it then talking about catching the criminals," another observer noted.

Anything else?

A top Union Pacific official said the company would move its rail operations from Los Angeles County unless law enforcement stops the criminal activity — and noted that far-left policies are to blame.

Adrian Guerrero, general director of public affairs, sent a letter to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón demanding his office stop the "spiraling crisis of organized and opportunistic criminal rail theft."

Guerrero also said that "over 90 containers are compromised per day."

Top Union Pacific official blasts far-left policies over 'spiraling crisis' of rail theft, threatens to leave Los Angeles



A top official with Union Pacific revealed last week that the company could move its rail operations from Los Angeles County unless law enforcement stops thieves from raiding shipping containers.

Last week, a viral video showed how thieves are pillaging through shipping containers in the infamous Logan Heights neighborhood. Tens of thousands of destroyed packages littered the area around the rail tracks.

Keep hearing of train burglaries in LA on the scanner so went to #LincolnHeights to see it all. And\u2026 there\u2019s looted packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon packages, @UPS boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains. @CBSLApic.twitter.com/JvNF4UVy2K
— John Schreiber (@John Schreiber) 1642116644

What are the details?

Adrian Guerrero, general director of public affairs, sent a letter to Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón demanding his office stop the "spiraling crisis of organized and opportunistic criminal rail theft."

Shockingly, Guerrero revealed that "over 90 containers are compromised per day."

"Since December 2020, UP has experienced an over 160% increase in criminal rail theft in Los Angeles County. In several months during that period, the increase from the previous year surpassed 200%. In October 2021 alone, the increase was 356% over compared to October 2020," Guerrero explained. "Not only do these dramatic increases represent retail product thefts – they include increased assaults and armed robberies of UP employees performing their duties moving trains."

However, the actual crimes are not the only issue. Guerrero explained that far-left criminal justice policies have exacerbated the problem and emboldened criminals.

Criminals are caught and arrested, turned over to local authorities for booking, arraigned before the local courts, charges are reduced to a misdemeanor or petty offense, and the criminal is released after paying a nominal fine.These individuals are generally caught and released back onto the streets in less than twenty-four hours. Even with all the arrests made, the no-cash bail policy and extended timeframe for suspects to appear in court is causing re-victimization to UP by these same criminals. In fact, criminals boast to our officers that charges will be pled down to simple trespassing – which bears no serious consequence. Without any judicial deterrence or consequence, it is no surprise that over the past year UP has witnessed the significant increase in criminal rail theft described above.

According to Guerrero, UPS and FedEx, which utilize Union Pacific's rail services, are seeking to divert their business away from Los Angeles County — and Union Pacific may join them.

"Like our customers, UP is now contemplating serious changes to our operating plans to avoid Los Angeles County," Guerrero wrote, adding that such a "drastic change" would significantly impact the national supply chain.

Guerrero went on to say that Union Pacific understands "the well-intended social justice goals" of Gascón, but demanded he "hold these criminals accountable."

How did Gascón respond?

In response, Gascón's office claimed they are committed to ensuring the safety of Los Angeles County's infrastructure. In a statement, the office also said many cases are not prosecuted due to "insufficient evidence."

"Some cases presented to our office by Union Pacific have been filed, such as burglary and grand theft, while others have been declined due to insufficient evidence. We make charging decisions based on the evidence," the statement said.

However, Guerrero explained in his letter to Gascón that despite over 100 criminals having been arrested while actively vandalizing trains, Union Pacific "has not been contacted for any court proceedings."

If your Amazon or UPS package is long overdue for delivery, it may be among thousands looted from broken-into train cars in LA and discarded by the tracks



A photojournalist with KCBS-TV said he'd been hearing a good bit about train burglaries in Los Angeles, so he went down to the tracks to have a look for himself.

"There’s looted packages as far as the eye can see," John Schreiber reported in a Thursday tweet, which was followed by others that included videos and images of the carnage. "Amazon packages, @UPS boxes, unused COVID tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains."

Keep hearing of train burglaries in LA on the scanner so went to #LincolnHeights to see it all. And\u2026 there\u2019s looted packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon packages, @UPS boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains. @CBSLApic.twitter.com/JvNF4UVy2K
— John Schreiber (@John Schreiber) 1642116644

Schreiber reported that law enforcement said UPS packages are "especially sought after" as they often contain boxes of merchandise bound for residential addresses. But he also found plenty of unopened packages tossed to the ground.

This opened package from @REI destined for Bainbridge Island, WA was taken off a train. Typing in the @UPS tracking # and it obviously lists it as \u201cdelayed.\u201d We found lots of opened packages bound for the Northwest along this section of tracks.pic.twitter.com/dO82QoJhTT
— John Schreiber (@John Schreiber) 1642116670

Schreiber also noted that thieves take advantage of the trains slowing down in this area before they reach the Union Pacific facility to break into them — and that it looked to him like "every 4th or 5th rail car had opened containers."

"Missing a package? Shipment delayed?" Schreiber added in another tweet. "Maybe your package is among the thousands we found discarded along the tracks. This is but one area thieves have targeted trains. We were told this area was just cleaned up 30 days ago so what you see is all within the last month."

Missing a package? Shipment delayed? Maybe your package is among the thousands we found discarded along the tracks. This is but one area thieves have targeted trains. We were told this area was just cleaned up 30 days ago so what you see is all within the last month. @CBSLApic.twitter.com/43002DPyZa
— John Schreiber (@John Schreiber) 1642116914

What else?

In its story about the package thefts, KCBS-TV — citing sources — said locks used by Union Pacific are easy to cut. In addition, the station said L.A. police don’t respond to train robbery complaints save for the rare occasions they come from Union Pacific.

The station said while its news crew was at the location, one person was seen running off with a container used to hold smaller packages and a Union Pacific officer was spotted chasing after two other people who appeared to be rifling through packages.

Image source: KCBS-TV video screenshot

KCBS — citing a source with knowledge of the issue — reported that Union Pacific cleaned up the area three months ago and again only about 30 days ago, and yet the area was again littered with newly discarded boxes.

Customer contacted

The station said it found a package, entered the tracking number online, and the result indicated the package was still “in transit" — but that it would arrive "today."

What did Union Pacific have to say?

Union Pacific issued the following statement to KCBS:

Union Pacific is very concerned about the increased cargo thefts in California, and we have taken several steps to address this criminal activity. These rail crimes pose a serious safety threat to the public, our employees and local law enforcement officers.

We have increased the number of Union Pacific special agents on patrol, and we have utilized and explored additional technologies to help us combat this criminal activity. We also will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners and elected leaders.