New Jersey railroad robbers out of business

New Jersey railroad robbers out of business

   New Jersey authorities have broken up a cargo theft ring that preyed on freight trains creeping through yards in the northern end of the state.

   The state attorney general’s office said it brought indictments against 13 members of a gang known as the “Conrail Boyz,” who allegedly stole millions of dollars of designer clothes, cigarettes and electronics moving from the container terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey. The gang committed hundreds of robberies and burglaries, stealing merchandise that varied in value from $20,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars per incident. Stolen goods included $5 million in Sony PlayStation electronic game consoles, Tommy Hilfiger clothing, Jones of New York women’s blouses, and numerous tractor-trailers for use in transporting stolen merchandise.

   According to investigators, several gang members would leap onto the trains and using bolt cutters and other devices break into truck trailers and shipping containers. They then threw the merchandise off the train onto the side of the tracks where accomplices gathered the stolen items, moved them to secret warehouses and then sold them on the black market.

   Twenty-four defendants have been charged under New Jersey’s racketeering and organized crime statutes, which generally have tough sentencing provisions. The Associated Press reported police had arrested 13 people and were searching for 11 others.

   The two-year, joint investigation was initiated by Norfolk Southern Corp.’s own police force. NS and CSX Transportation absorbed most of Consolidated Rail Corp.’s assets from the government in 1999.

   Attorney General Peter Harvey credited the cooperation of Norfolk Southern as well as Tommy Hilfiger Corp. and Sears, Roebuck & Co. for their assistance.