South Bay Train Theft Suspects In Custody, Police Say

TORRANCE, CA — Five suspects were found and arrested late Monday in connection with a break-in at a train car along the railroad tracks in Torrance.

Someone reported seeing the break-in about 11:30 p.m. Monday on the railroad tracks in the area of 190th Street and Hawthorne Boulevard, according to Sgt. Mark Ponegalek of the Torrance Police Department.

The suspects were carrying boxes from the train cars, Ponegalek said.

Officers arrived and detained one suspect while they searched the area of the train cars on the railroad tracks, and later detained four more suspects, Ponegalek said.

During their investigation, officers located train cars that had the locks cut and forced opened, Ponegalek said. They discovered several train cars had property missing from those cars that were forced open.

Officers also found small generators still in the boxes, which were stolen from one of the train cars and near the detained suspects, Ponegalek said.

All five suspects were arrested on suspicion of burglary, receiving stolen property and conspiracy. Their names were not immediately released.

"Recent reporting has shown a dramatic increase in the amount of thefts from rail cars," Ponegalek said. "This arrest serves as a great example of our department partnering with citizens to combat this increase in theft from rail cars in our area."

People were urged to continue reporting suspicious activity, he added.

The Torrance Police Special Operations Bureau will continue to investigate the incident.