The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to address copper theft through targeted patrols, the identification of vulnerable locations, analysis of theft patterns and coordination with businesses and neighboring law enforcement agencies.
On Thursday, Aug. 6, investigators assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Bureau’s Metal Theft Detail conducted an inspection at a location on the 2200 block of Tyler Avenue in the City of South El Monte. The inspection was conducted in response to ongoing copper wire and metal thefts throughout Los Angeles County, particularly in the San Gabriel Valley, where communication lines, public transit systems and public facilities have been repeatedly affected. Metal Theft Detail investigators were assisted by Temple Sheriff’s Station detectives and South El Monte Code Enforcement officers.
During the inspection, investigators located several pieces of suspected stolen copper cable belonging to a major telecommunications company. The business owner stated the cables had been purchased from a licensed vendor without knowledge they may have been stolen. Loss Prevention personnel from the telecommunications company responded and confirmed the cables belonged to the company based on markings on the outer insulation. The investigation remains ongoing and no arrests have been made at this time…