CHICAGO — A series of daring freight train burglaries across the Chicago area is raising alarm among law enforcement and highlighting a growing black market pipeline that authorities describe as both profitable and increasingly frequent.
Train Cars Targeted for High-Dollar Loot
It began with a wild heist caught by CBS Skywatch last fall, where dozens of individuals were seen ransacking freight train cars on the city’s West Side — walking away with big-screen TVs and high-end electronics. According to police sources, Chicago officers had to wait over an hour for Union Pacific security teams to respond and secure the scene.
The trend hasn’t slowed since. Just last week, thieves struck again — this time in Bellwood, a west suburban community. The aftermath: hundreds of torn-open cardboard boxes littered across the tracks, the contents long gone.
According to Cmdr. Michael Ware, head of the Cook County Sheriff’s Office’s Organized Retail Crime Unit, the thefts aren’t random.
“It’s a lucrative business,” Ware told CBS Chicago. “There’s a lot of money to be made.”
Criminal Market Thrives on Stolen Cargo
Authorities say the stolen items — often electronics, fitness equipment, and other high-demand goods — are sold at a full profit margin, frequently via online marketplaces. Deals advertised as “too good to be true” often are exactly that.
In one recent bust, sheriff’s officers raided an unmarked storefront on Chicago’s South Side, recovering more than $400,000 worth of stolen exercise equipment. That equipment, officials say, had been stolen earlier this year from freight cars in Joliet.
“It looked like a mini-Home Depot,” Cmdr. Ware described the scene. “Retail theft like this often connects to other crimes — guns, drugs — it’s a gateway.”
Suspect Identified in Massive Theft Operation
One individual, Isadore House, 57, was arrested and charged with selling the stolen equipment. He is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Chicago Ranks Third in Cargo Theft Nationwide
Cargo theft is on the rise nationwide — and Chicago is near the top of the list. According to data from Verisk, a tracking firm, cargo thefts have surged from an average of 136 incidents per month in recent years to a current average of 338 theft reports per month in 2025.
Chicago currently ranks third in the nation for the highest volume of cargo theft incidents, trailing only Southern California and Dallas.
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