The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information regarding the tampering of a rail line in New York in early June.
The reward is for information that can lead to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or people who tampered with part of the Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railroad in the upstate town of Corinth. The private rail line operates scenic tours and is not used for commercial purposes.
When contacted by Newsweek for comment, the FBI's Albany Field Office provided a statement that said in part that the investigation "has identified evidence" that the tampering is "indicative of attempts to derail a train."
The field office is working in conjunction with the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office on the investigation, and they held a joint press conference on Wednesday.
Janeen DiGuiseppi, special agent in charge of the Albany Field Office, spoke more about the case during the conference, describing the incident as a "deliberate act to derail a train, which could have caused death or serious injury."
DiGuiseppi and Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo did not offer specifics about what happened to the tracks but indicated the train line has been operating since the incident.
Newsweek reached out to Saratoga County Sheriff's Office via email for comment.
While a specific date wasn't given for when the alleged tampering occurred, DiGuiseppi asked for people to come forward if they had observed anything suspicious during the period of June 5 to 8. She added that the act occurred on the railroad line that runs parallel to Route 9 near Emory Lane in Corinth.
When asked if tampering with railroads is common, DiGuiseppi said the FBI is aware of similar acts.
"Over the last few years, there's been a lot of chatter and threats made to infrastructure throughout the country," she said. "Although I haven't heard of this type of incident, it's something that we're concerned about, and we hear about a lot."
DiGuiseppi called Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railroad tours a treasure to the local community that offers a unique sightseeing experience featuring local food and music. She added that "all could have ended due to the criminally dangerous and destructive actions of those individuals responsible" for the tampering incident.
"We have and will continue to have zero tolerance for this type of behavior," Zurlo said during the press conference. "Please be assured that we will leave no stone unturned to identify and apprehend the person or persons responsible for this cowardly act."
The FBI asks anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
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