y_p_w
Thread starter
The rail lines have their own police, which is very understaffed, and this is technically private property the local police aren't supposed to patrol.
I'm sure if they witnessed the thefts happening then they would do something but it's not their problem. I think better locks on the containers that are resistant to portable grinders would work, like those puck locks if compatible. Then again I have a feeling the rail lines are cheap and don't care.
It's a complicated issue, but police are almost always free to intervene if they see a crime in progress. It's kind of the usual where police can enter private property without trespassing if something happens such as chasing a suspect. It's not great when there's "call jumping" (there have been weird cases where specialty police departments want to play Dirty Harry) but if a city police or county sheriff's deputy sees something going on that's their jurisdiction. However, there's a lot of rail and very few railroad police.
And railroad police have a rather special status in many states where they're considered more than just glorified security guards. They're privately employed with full police powers. There's a tourist railroad in Napa County that has 3 sworn police officers. Amtrak has its own police that get training at FLETC. I've seen Union Pacific Police once - when an Amtrak train apparently ran over someone. UP owned the tracks so they came in to investigate along with local police. Here's the law in California:
830.33.
The following persons are peace officers whose authority extends to any place in the state for the purpose of performing their primary duty or when making an arrest pursuant to Section 836 as to any public offense with respect to which there is immediate danger to person or property, or of the escape of the perpetrator of that offense, or pursuant to Section 8597 or 8598 of the Government Code. Those peace officers may carry firearms only if authorized and under terms and conditions specified by their employing agency.
(e) (1) Any railroad police officer commissioned by the Governor pursuant to Section 8226 of the Public Utilities Code, if the primary duty of the peace officer is the enforcement of the law in or about properties owned, operated, or administered by the employing agency or when performing necessary duties with respect to patrons, employees, and properties of the employing agency.