Fencing rings that netted $18 million in L.A. railroad thefts are taken down, authorities say
The fencing rings were all stolen from the Southern Pacific yard in El Centro, just south of San Diego. The thieves used the fencing rings to catch trains that were traveling through L.A. County, authorities say. The fencing rings were all stolen from the Southern Pacific yard in El Centro, just south of San Diego. The thieves used the fencing rings to catch trains that were traveling through L.A. County, authorities say. Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Fencing rings that netted $18 million in L.A. railroad thefts are taken down, authorities say 1 / 1 Back to Gallery
An estimated $18 million in fencing rings stolen from the Southern Pacific yard in El Centro, just south of San Diego, were never recovered, according to authorities.
The fencing rings were taken in two separate incidents at the yard, officials said.
The first incident resulted in the fencing rings being found and returned to the railroad, according to Southern Pacific officials.
In the second incident, the fence rings were taken from the El Centro yard and are still missing, officials said.
The fencing rings were taken off the tracks near the yard from rail cars, said Southern Pacific officials. Authorities are working with El Centro Police Department and the California Highway Patrol to determine what happened to the weapons.
The fencing rings are considered highly valued items, said Mike Zuccarini, a spokesman for Southern Pacific. They are commonly used by the railroad to prevent rail cars that carry valuable cargo from being stolen.
When the fencing rings are removed from the rail cars, they are valued at “far more than $18 million,” Zuccarini said Tuesday.
It was the second time in recent weeks that a large amount of fencing rings were removed from Southern Pacific’s El Centro rail yard.
On Nov. 4, fencing rings were stolen from the yard in the same manner
