BNSF train robbers abandon stolen electronics to escape alert Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy

Sedona AZ (June 24, 2013) – On Saturday, June 22, 2013, deputies of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Williams Patrol District encountered suspicious vehicles in the Parks, Arizona, area. One of the vehicles, a U-Haul truck fled the scene when a deputy tried to make contact with its occupants.

At approximately 6:15 in the morning, a deputy was conducting regular neighborhood patrols in the Parks area. He observed at least two vehicles suspiciously parked; one of the vehicles was a U-Haul. The deputy called for assistance as the U-Haul sped away on I-40, in the opposite direction of his travel.

The U-Haul exited I-40 at exit 163 and was found abandoned in the parking lot of the Williams, Arizona, Quality Inn hotel. Its driver is suspected of having fled into the woods north of the hotel but was not located during a search.

A member of the Northern Arizona Street Crimes Task Force (also known as Metro) assisted the Sheriff’s Office in obtaining and executing a search warrant on the U-Haul truck. Items found in the truck included packaged electronics such as flat screen TV’s, speakers, car stereos, DVD players, and other valuable equipment.

The exact value of the stolen electronics has yet to be determined but is expected to be worth several hundred thousand dollars. The investigation revealed that the items had been stolen from a BNSF train at a location somewhere between Sanders, Arizona, and the Arizona-New Mexico state line.

BNSF law enforcement responded to the location and took custody of the property. BNSF has taken jurisdiction of the investigation.

The second vehicle and three individuals contacted in the Parks area were interviewed and released prior to the discovery of the stolen items.

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