LOS ANGELES (AP) — Crews continue to make railroad repairs in Los Angeles after a train derailed near the location where thieves have been raiding cargo containers, leaving the tracks littered with emptied boxes of packaged good sent by retailers.

It wasn't immediately clear if the derailment that happened Saturday was caused by the debris left behind by thieves in the Lincoln Heights area near downtown Los Angeles. Union Pacific said the cause of the derailment was under investigation.

What You Need To Know

  • Saturday's derailment caused 17 train cars to go off the tracks, Union Pacific said in a statement

  • No injuries were reported

  • Union Pacific said the cause of the derailment was under investigation

  • The company also said in a statement to a news source that the railroad was concerned about increased cargo thefts in California

The derailment caused 17 train cars to go off the tracks, Union Pacific said in a statement. No injuries were reported.

Cargo containers aboard trains have been targeted by thieves for months, authorities said. Packages from several retailers litter the area.

In a statement to Spectrum News, Union Pacific said that it is working with local authorities to combat cargo thefts in the area.

“We are addressing the unfortunate situation of cargo thefts. We are grateful to our partners, including the Governor of California, law enforcement agencies including LAPD, LASO and CHP, and our customers including UPS, that are standing with us. We've increased the number of special agents, drones, specialized fencing, and trespass detection systems to combat this criminal activity. We are confident these collective steps and partnerships will ensure we can safely and securely transport the products our communities rely upon,” the railroad company said.

Amazon said it was directing inquiries to police. The United Parcel Service declined to comment on investigations into the cargo thefts but said the company was cooperating with authorities.