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His targets are Fontana construction sites and storage yards where he spends hours gutting equipment left out in the open.
In two recent incidents alone, he has caused about $10,000 worth of damage to two air compressors. The total profit was $20, authorities said.
Sheriff's deputies haven't caught the man yet, but they say he's an example of the lengths people will go to get their hands on certain metals, particularly copper.
"Copper is probably your No. 1 commodity that is stolen," said San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Roger Young, who investigates scrap metal theft.
Copper theft is a rising problem in the Inland Valley and throughout the nation as its demand overseas has kicked up the price per pound.
But while many incidents are conducted by small-time thieves, other groups are stealing larger, more profitable hauls of copper.
Verizon Communications lost more than 2,000 feet of cable in an Anza heist last year, company spokesman Jon Davies said. The group of thieves cut down the cable from telephone poles and hauled it away, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
"Copper has always been an enticing metal for people to steal because it's 100 percent recyclable. It's easily recycled, and it's relatively plentiful and accessible," said Ken Geremia, manager of communications for the Copper Development Association, an arm of the U.S. copper, brass and bronze industry.
Utility and construction companies, as well as railroads, have been the primary targets of the thefts.
Since Jan. 1, there have been 148 reports of copper wire theft in San Bernardino County, said sheriff's spokeswoman Jodi Miller.
Area law enforcement agencies are investigating several recent incidents of stolen telephone wires, but it is unknown if they're related. Utility companies, however, suspect they might be.
"It's certainly not a spur-of-the moment crime. It takes time and organization, and it's possible it could have been perpetrated by the same people," Davies said.
Two Riverside men were arrested June 30 after they stole phone lines in Rubidoux, Riverside County sheriff's officials said.
The cost of the phone lines was estimated at $30,000. An alarm was triggered at 4:03 a.m. when the men began tampering with the lines, prompting AT&T personnel and deputies to come to the scene.
Deputies arrested Jose Lopez, 21, and Oscar Rodriguez, 31, on suspicion of grand theft.
Two 50-foot sections of copper wire were stolen early Tuesday near the intersection of Sixth Street and Hellman Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga. The theft of the Verizon Communications wire knocked out phones and Internet service to several Ontario businesses.
Per pound, the metal has risen in price from about 70 cents in July 2001 to $3.60 this month, according to Kitco Inc., an international retailer of precious metals.
The rise is due primarily to increasing demand from China, the biggest purchaser of copper scrap, Geremia said.
"They're building their infrastructures, and they need wire and plumbing and basic sheet metal to modernize themselves," he said.
Police and sheriff's deputies have conducted stings at scrap metal yards to catch thieves bringing in their loot.
Young said the focus is primarily on Fontana yards because about 80 to 85 percent of stolen scrap metal winds up in Fontana. This is because such yards pay more per pound for the metal, Young said.
Authorities also make sure scrap metal personnel keep the required information on file of people who sell scrap metal. Employees are supposed to collect a driver's license and vehicle license plate number as well as name and address from customers.
They're also supposed to ask if the material was acquired legitimately.
But "a lot of them don't ask that," Young said.
Some yards find ways to skate around the rules, by claiming a customer who brought in material was homeless, he said.
Other yards say they're diligent about following the law, because the potential dollar loss isn't worth the risk.
Pacific Coast Recycling, a company with sites in Fontana and Rialto, said they're well-aware of the rising cost of copper and the thefts.
Employees are trained to zero in on utility company markings on wire and other telltale signs that the wire might be stolen, said Linda Shreeves, chief legal and compliance officer for the company.
Shreeves said they'll only accept utility company scrap metal from a company representative.
"If we buy materials that are stolen, we end up being the victim because the (Sheriff's Department) can come in and place a hold on that property," she said.
If the property is determined to be stolen, the yard loses the metal and isn't reimbursed the money paid for it.
While thefts continue to be widespread, some utility companies are finding ways to fight back.
AT&T last month posted a $10,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of people cutting and stealing telephone cable in the Inland Empire.
Diane Spiegel, spokeswoman for the company, said AT&T has experienced sporadic thefts since about January, ranging from about 100 feet to 1,000 feet of cable. The company offered a similar reward then, but received no response, she said.
Verizon Communications offered a reward last year following the Anza heist, resulting in the arrest of several people.
This week, Verizon offered a new $10,000 reward on the Rancho Cucamonga copper wire theft.
"It's definitely an ongoing problem, so we're putting out the reward to help us catch the perpetrators and stop the problem," Davies said.
Anyone with information on the Verizon theft may call the Verizon Security Control Center, 1-800-997-3287. For the AT&T thefts, people may call security at (213) 633-2558 or (213) 633-2405. People with information on copper thefts may also contact their local law enforcement agencies.
Related Articles:
• Crew repairs site where copper was copped
• Copper heist silences Ontario phones, blanks Web access
• Cops corner copper coppers Melissa Pinion-Whitt can be reached by e-mail at m_pinion-whitt@dailybulletin.com or by phone at (909) 483-9378.
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