Korean American Business Owner Charged in $5M Train Heist

A Korean American business owner from Montebello has been charged in Los Angeles with selling millions of dollars in merchandise that authorities say was stolen from a train this summer, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Dojoon Park, 41, faces six felony counts of receiving stolen property valued at more than $950, with prosecutors also alleging losses exceeding $500,000. If convicted, he could face up to 11 years in state prison. Park has pleaded not guilty.

Authorities said Union Pacific special agents discovered in July 2025 that a train car carrying consumer goods had been burglarized in Long Beach. The investigation led to more than $5 million in stolen items, including tools, household appliances, and e-bikes. The merchandise was allegedly being sold online and through Park’s DJ General Tool and Wire stores in Montebello and Huntington Park.

Park was first arrested by Los Angeles police on August 14, 2025, and released the same day. He was taken into custody again on September 8, 2025, at a downtown Los Angeles courthouse. Bail was set at $225,000 with a hold to ensure the source of any funds was not tied to criminal activity.

“Cargo theft is not a victimless crime. The stolen merchandise enters our commerce and affects real businesses and real employees,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in announcing the charges. He added that thefts from the ports harm the reputation of Los Angeles as a global shipping hub.

The Los Angeles Police Department said its Commercial Crimes Division, Organized Retail and Cargo Theft Unit led the investigation, with assistance from the Union Pacific Police Department and Los Angeles Port Police. Search warrants were served at Park’s businesses in the 1200 block of South Greenwood Avenue in Montebello and the 1900 block of East Gage Avenue in Huntington Park.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell called the case a “powerful example of what law enforcement can achieve when we work together.” He said organized cargo theft “strikes at the heart of our economy, impacting local businesses, workers, and everyday families.”

Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing, with detectives anticipating possible additional arrests.