Police arrest another suspected copper thief
Saul Chavez Viveros, 30, of Long Beach allegedly stole at least 39 pounds of wiring from multiple locations across the city, according to authorities.
A 30-year-old Long Beach resident has been arrested for allegedly stealing copper wiring from city lighting fixtures, police said Thursday.
Long Beach police say Saul Chavez Viveros, 30, allegedly stole more than 39 pounds copper wiring from city lighting infrastructure in multiple locations.
The arrest is part of a months-long LBPD investigation into an increase in regional copper theft incidents, police said.
On Wednesday, at about 3:26 a.m., a North Division sergeant working patrol in the 3600 block of Orange Avenue saw Viveros apparently tampering with the electrical wiring of a city lighting fixture, according to the LBPD. After detained Viveros, the sergeant found about 39 pounds of wiring that apparently came from city light poles, along with other tools, police added.
LBPD officers found additional evidence of vandalism to city lighting infrastructure in the 3500 and 3600 blocks of Orange Avenue, according to police.
After officers arrested Viveros, he was booked for grand theft and felony vandalism, police said. His bail is pending magistrate review, according to authorities.
LBPD burglary detectives believe Viveros may be connected to other thefts in the area, police said.
Earlier this month, LBPD officers arrested a homeless man near Long Beach Airport who was suspected of stealing more than 100 pounds of copper and other precious metals.
Police are asking anyone with additional information, or who may have footage of these copper thefts, to call the department's Burglary Detail at 562-570-7351.
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