Much of the crime has taken place along sections of the railroad which have growing homeless encampments next to the track.

In November there were raids on trains that were stationary due to a backlog moving cargo from the Port of Los Angeles, which is America’s busiest port.

Thieves have recently been targeting trains as they move slowly approaching downtown, jumping on and breaking in.

John Schreiber, an aerial camera operator for CBS in Los Angeles, said he went to the railroad tracks after he kept hearing about train burglaries.

He said: “There’s looted packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon packages, UPS [United Parcel Service] boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens, cargo containers left busted open on trains.”

He said thieves appeared particularly keen on packages headed for residential addresses. After jumping on to the train the thieves “use this opportunity to break open containers and take what’s inside,” he said. “I’d say every 4th or 5th rail car had opened containers.”