Two men were arrested and face several charges after they were caught with an estimated $25,000 worth of property allegedly stolen out of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train Saturday, authorities announced.
Just before 12:30 p.m., deputies with the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department received reports of suspects stealing merchandise from the cargo container of a stopped BNSF train around the area of State Highway 138 and Summit Valley Road near Hesperia.
The caller told authorities that the suspects then fled west on Ranchero Road in a red truck “with a large amount of merchandise in cardboard boxes in the back,” an SBSD news release stated.
An SBSD deputy out of the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Department located the truck approximately 11 miles away on Ranchero Road, near Escondido Avenue and conducted a traffic stop. The two suspects in the vehicle were identified as 29-year-old Fontana resident Jose Hernandez-Garcia and 35-year-old Ontario resident Luis Mendez.
“Thirty-three boxes of stolen cell phone accessories were in the back of the truck. Total estimated value of the merchandise was over $25,000,” the release noted.
While searching the vehicle, deputies found an unregistered, loaded semi-automatic handgun wrapped in a beanie that was hidden under the passenger seat of the truck. Two grams of methamphetamine were also found inside the vehicle.
The driver of the truck, Hernandez-Garcia, and the passenger, Mendez, were arrested and booked at the High Desert Detention Center on charges of possession of stolen property, carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance.
Special agents with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad assumed the burglary investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Deputy J. Ballinger at Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760-552-6800. Anonymous tips can be made through WeTip at 800-782-7463 or online at WeTip.
