Copper wire theft: LA metal recyclers cited for reselling stolen items
LOS ANGELES - Eight metal recyclers in the North Hollywood area have been cited for reselling stolen copper wire and three individuals were arrested for theft and vandalism of government property in a major crackdown, authorities said Tuesday.
The crackdown was conducted by the North Hollywood Metal Theft Unit, a specialized task force funded by the office of City Council President Paul Krekorian, who hailed the results during a news conference Tuesday at LAPD headquarters.
He said the moment should be a "strong signal" for criminals trying to make money off stolen metal that the city is "coming after you."
"... You better get used to the idea of having LAPD knocking on your door, get used to the idea of having handcuffs on your wrists, and you better get used to the idea of the city taking civil actions against businesses that compete unfairly with legitimate businesses because we will not only be pursuing civil remedies -- we will seek to shut your business down," he added.
Krekorian represents the 2nd District, encompassing North Hollywood and other east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods that are "most impacted by metal theft," according to the council president's office.
For the last two months, Krekorian funded the LAPD Commercial Crimes Division resulting in three operations where officers performed compliance checks at recycling businesses near impacted areas -- resulting in arrests at separate facilities for alleged theft, failure to report and receiving stolen property.
In addition to about 1,668 pounds of stolen copper wire being recovered, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department also collected hundreds of pounds of aluminum cable and backup batteries taken from the city's Bureau of Street Lighting, Caltrans and Southern California Edison, officials said.
The value of the recovered materials is estimated at $39,900 and repair costs at more than $500,000, according to Krekorian's office.
In the first operation on June 19, three individuals were arrested on suspicion of selling stolen material from a nearby Los Angeles Department of Water and Power facility to Eagle Recycling. Additionally, recycling facility attendants were found to be in violation of reporting requirements and were cited for failure to comply with local and state laws, officials said.
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On Aug. 16, the task force investigated Cash 4 Scrap Recycling at two separate locations, where officers allegedly recovered 116 pounds of copper wire valued at $15,000 and belonged to Caltrans. Officers also allegedly recovered 54 pounds of copper wire valued at $2,400 pertaining to the city's Bureau of Street Lighting.
The task force cited the owner of both Cash 4 Scrap locations for failing to comply with reporting requirements. A follow-up is pending as officers obtained documentation for the individuals who sold the materials to the recycler.
On Aug. 23, the task force cited C&S Metals for allegedly failing to comply with local and state laws. Officers say they found 752 pounds of copper wire, 359 pounds of aluminum cable belonging to Caltrans and 78 pounds of aluminum cable valued at $10,000 belonging to Southern California Edison, among other items.
Krekorian, who serves on Metro's Board of Directors and Metrolink's advisory committee, noted that transportation agencies are being hit the hardest by thieves, impacting safety systems and endangering the public.
City Council members have expressed their frustration about the theft of copper wire, which has led to dark neighborhoods and cost the city millions of dollars for street light repairs. Thieves have also taken precious metals from public plaques, monuments and cemetery headstones.
Krekorian described the ongoing theft of precious metal as being led by "organized crime." He emphasized that earlier this year, he and City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto notified metal dealers that they'd be watching to ensure no businesses were violating local and state laws, and if they were they'd be prosecuted.
LAPD Chief of Detectives Alan Hamilton noted that the metal and copper wire being taken to recyclers are clearly marked and can be easily identified as government property. He also explained that thieves are stealing from one area of the city and selling the materials in another.
"I want to be clear and direct that our reach is far. We will survey them and investigate wherever the case leads us. We will take effective action against both the individual committing the crime and the metal recycler who is taking these metals in," Hamilton said.
Blanca Rodriguez, chief of external affairs for Caltrans District 7, encompassing L.A. and Ventura counties, commended the city's efforts in recovering copper wire.
"The theft and vandalism has increased substantially in the past five years. When thieves steal copper from Caltrans' electrical infrastructure for resale it creates a safety issue for motorists who use traffic systems such as lights, signs and meters to navigate the roads," Rodriguez said.
In the past four years, the state agency has spent more than $24 million to repair damaged infrastructure and address vandalism, officials said.
On Aug. 6, City Council members approved an additional $200,000 to support the LAPD's Heavy Metal Task Force, a separate group composed of LAPD's Central, Newton and Hollenbeck divisions. Councilman Kevin de León, who spearheaded the formation of that task force, sought to crack down on metal theft happening in his 14th District, which stretches from downtown Los Angeles to such Eastside neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights.
The Sixth Street Bridge, also in his district, has been a major target of copper wire thieves. Officials said that the task force has made 82 arrests and recovered about 2,000 pounds of stolen copper wire.