BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Bakersfield police arrested 12 people and issued a trespassing citation during a surveillance operation targeting scrap metal thefts from railroad freight cars, after thefts along the Joaquin Railroad were estimated at $400,000 over six months.
The Bakersfield Police Department conducted a surveillance operation on Tuesday, October 27th, 2026, in response to ongoing concerns about scrap metal thefts from railroad freight cars.
The operation involved several specialized units, including Vice, General Investigations, Organized Retail Crime, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones), and the Impact Unit…