LAPD Cargo Theft Task Force Recovers $1 Million in Stolen Goods 

October 7, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles Police Department officials report that on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Commercial Crimes Division-Cargo Theft Task Force, in collaboration with the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad Police, Burlington Northern & Santa Fe (BNSF) Police, Alameda Belt Line Police, Los Angeles Port Police, and the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigation, executed a search warrant at ‘Shoes n Shoes’ in the city of Whitter, resulting in the recovery of $1,000,000 in stolen BNSF and UP Railroad train property, including Yeti cups and jugs, Nike, New Balance, Brooks, and Sanuk shoes, JanSport backpacks, and Shark vacuums (59 pallets of cargo).

During the execution of the search warrant, detectives contacted the business owner, Waseem Saman. Saman admitted to purchasing much of his inventory from brokers or middlemen, who are illegitimate distributors of the brands mentioned above.

Saman Waseem, a 45-year-old resident of Placentia, was arrested and booked at Van Nuys Jail for 496(A) PC – Receiving Stolen Property under booking No. 7331207.

This case underscores the importance of interagency collaboration to combat large-scale cargo theft and to preserve the integrity of commercial supply chains.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Commercial Crimes Division at 213-486-8766 between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. For non-business hours or weekends, please call 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). To remain anonymous, tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or send tips by texting 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads). All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tips can also be submitted online at www.LAPDOnline.org, click on “wetips” and follow the prompts.

Source & photos: Los Angeles Police Department