STOCKTON (CBS13) — More than $19,000 worth of stolen copper wire has been recovered in San Joaquin County, authorities say.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office says, last week, their Agriculture, Gangs, and Narcotics Enforcement Team recovered about 2,000 pounds of copper wire suspected to have been cut from AT&T service lines.
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Stolen copper wire recovered by deputies last week. (Credit: San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators believe the wire was stolen over the course of 8 to 9 separate incidents.
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In total, the stolen copper wire is valued at over $19,000 – and will cost more than $55,000 in parts, labor and overtime hours to replace.
Three people were arrested during the operation: 38-year-old Nicolas Chavelas, 38-year-old Raul Bruno, and 32-year-old Tusha Jones. All three are from Stockton and have been booked into jail on charges of felony theft.
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AT&T has been hit by a rash of copper wire theft recently, with the sheriff’s office saying more than $1 million has been spend in repairing and replacing cables. The company offers a $5,000 reward for information about suspected copper wire thieves that leads to a conviction.