Between December 14th 2020 and January 30th 2021 there were at least four thefts from the 18th and Dudley and the 13th and N 19th Street. Each theft was of all metal railroad equipment. The victim, OL&B Big Red Line, set up cameras following a theft reported on December 16th.
Video captured thefts on December 27th, January 10th, and January 12th that showed a dark colored Chevy pickup and a man picking up and loading railcar knuckles from a shelfing storage unit and loading them into the truck. The license plate came back to 58-year-old Barry James. The investigating officer then learned that James had sold the same items to a scrap yard. Items from the scrap yard were photographed and identified by the victim as being their property. The total loss was around $3,500.
James turned himself in to the jail on February 23rd around 5am and was arrested for three counts of misdemeanor Theft by Unlawful Taking and one count of felony Theft by Unlawful Taking.