2 arrested after Arizona deputy tracks down train heist suspects

PHOENIX — Train burglaries have skyrocketed over the past year, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO).

Case in point: A BNSF train was burglarized last week in Seligman, a town along the Interstate 40 corridor between Flagstaff and Kingman, last week, authorities said.

The burglary took place around midnight last Friday. Workers on the train reported a white box truck had targeted them.

A YCSO deputy in the area arrived within minutes — and while the burglary was in progress.

The deputy followed the truck with the alleged burglar, as well as another suspect vehicle, when they headed west onto Interstate 40, authorities said.

All the while, the deputy waited for backup from the sheriff’s office, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.

Eventually, the Kingman Police Department, along with DPS, tried to stop the driver of the white box truck as it arrived in Kingman.

However, the truck failed to yield. At this point, DPS used tire deflation devices called stop sticks to force it to come to a stop, YCSO said.

DPS quickly apprehended the driver, and authorities arrested the suspect driving the other vehicle believed to have been related to the burglary, YCSO said.

No further details were released.