A suspected train bandit was arrested in Colton, California, early Thursday after police intercepted a pickup truck loaded with hundreds of boxes of stolen Hot Wheels toys valued at more than $50,000.
The bust unfolded around 3 a.m. Following a tip from a caller who alerted authorities to the ongoing theft. “Yeah, they’re robbing the trains down here at the end of Maple Street,” the caller said in audio later uploaded to the Colton Police Department’s Facebook page.
Officers positioned themselves near South 7th Street and South La Cadena Drive, where an officer wearing a bodycam reported hearing activity at the rail line. “I can hear them loading up some boxes right now,” the officer said while monitoring the scene. “Alright, it looks like a black truck is pulling out right now.”
The officer sprinted back to his patrol car and gave chase as a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup pulled away from the area. He caught up with the vehicle moments later and conducted a traffic stop.
Bodycam footage captured the driver stepping out of the truck with his hands on his head before being taken into custody without incident.
Police said they recovered 350 boxes of Hot Wheels merchandise from the pickup, with each box containing multiple toy vehicles. Investigators placed the total value of the stolen goods at $54,000.
The Colton Police Department announced the arrest with a pun on its Facebook page, writing, “We derailed his plans!”
The unidentified suspect was transported to the West Valley Detention Center, where he was booked on suspicion of burglary, possession of stolen property and grand theft.
Rail theft has plagued Southern California supply corridors in recent years, with organized crews targeting cargo containers for valuable consumer goods ranging from electronics to designer merchandise. The region’s sprawling rail yards and extensive freight networks have made it a persistent hotspot for such crimes.
The Hot Wheels heist stands out for its unusual target: a children’s toy line that has remained a retail staple for more than five decades. The miniature die-cast vehicles, produced by Mattel, maintain robust resale markets among collectors, with limited editions and rare castings commanding significant secondary-market prices.
The suspect’s identity has not been released pending further investigation by San Bernardino County authorities.
