When we think of train robbery most of us think of the James Gang — Jesse, Frank and their cohorts who rode in the wild west during the late 1800s. But those guys were small potatoes when you compare them to the most recent gang that’s been stealing from present day railroads.

In an Associated Press (AP) dispatch from Jersey City, N.J., dated July 10, 2003, an outlaw gang known as "The Conrail Boyz" has stolen freight valued at many millions of dollars from railroads in the northeastern United States.

For example, two years ago the Conrail Boyz stole 17,000 Sony PlayStation electronic games with a reported retail value of $5 million. The gang also targets designer clothing which they sell on the street for a fraction of the expected retail price. They can do that because of the gang’s low overhead.

AP reported the head of Norfolk Southern Railway police explained that gang members will hop aboard slow moving freight trains and conduct an inventory of the rolling cargo. Other gang members will pose as railroad workers to find out where the trains will stop. During a train stop, a group of Conrail Boyz climbs aboard the train and unloads the cargo they’ve already identified. Norfolk Southern officials say the Conrail Boyz are the largest gang of its kind — ever.

As of July 10, 2003, police had arrested 13 gang members. but at least 11 other gang members remain at large. Many of the gang members have been arrested several times, but they receive short jail terms because they don’t carry firearms.

The leader of the Conrail Boyz is identified by authorities as Edward Mongon, 28, of Union City, N.J. He is charged with 17 criminal counts including "racketeering" and "money laundering." Each count carries a 20 year sentence. Mongon was still at large at the time this column went to press.

Mongon’s roll models — his mom and his dad — have already been arrested in Pennsylvania. Martin and Ersilia Mongon of Hoboken, N.J., were charged with "money laundering" the Conrail Boyz booty in the railroad caper.