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TYPE OF CRIME: Undercover Operation CASE NUMBER: LOCATION: Cities of San Jose and Santa Clara DATE: 4-27-07 TIME: 8:30AM
SUSPECT: See Below AGE: ADDRESS:
DETAILS:
Copper theft has been a problem for most cities including San Jose and Santa Clara. The thefts are unlikely to stop as long as recyclers are willing to buy copper. It had been thought for some time that the thefts were increasing, in part, because of the lack of due diligence by commercial recyclers. The San Jose and Santa Clara Police Departments decided to take a proactive approach to this problem. Until recently, the only arrests had been of thieves caught in the act of stealing copper.
Thieves target new construction sites, abandoned buildings and various commercial sites like building companies and power companies for copper to steal. Many of the thieves are addicted to Methamphetamine.
The San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara Police Department have been working together, over the last four months, in a cooperative undercover sting operation targeting various recyclers in San Jose and Santa Clara. Copper and plastics (milk and beverage crates) have been the targets of thieves since the price of scrap copper has increased dramatically over the last few years (currently around $3.00 a pound ). With the cooperation of PG&E and the milk industry, undercover officers posed as thieves who were selling copper wire and plastic milk crates. The copper was clearly brand new and was purported by the undercover officers to have been “stolen.” Most businesses visited by the undercover officers did not hesitate to take the copper, even though they were told it was stolen. Only one business refused to take the wire after being told it was stolen. As for the milk crates, the recyclers who took the items had previously been advised by the milk industry that they were not authorized to recycle their property. The crates are clearly marked and are the property of the various milk companies. CSC of San Jose (Creative Security Company) was working a parallel investigation at this same time into the theft of the plastic beverage crates.
Many of the recyclers involved in the receiving of this “stolen” property had previously attended a class sponsored by the police department regarding the law and recycled metals, particularly copper. CSC of San Jose (Creative Security Company) provided training to several recyclers regarding the thefts of plastic beverage crates where they were educated about the law and warned about taking in stolen property. Today’s arrest included employees, managers and owners of the businesses. The investigation is on-going with a possibility of more arrests in the future.
Locations in San Jose:
San Jose Metals, 1032 North 10th Street, San Jose, CA Ranch Town Recycling, 775 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA American Metal and Iron, 11665 Berryessa Road, San Jose, CA Tung Tai Group Inc., 1726 Rogers, San Jose, CA Recycling Specialists, 1720 Old Bayshore, San Jose, CA
Locations in Santa Clara:
Recycling Services, 1850 Grant Street, Santa Clara, CA AMI Recycling, 2290 De La Cruz Blvd., Santa Clara, CA Danny's Padding and Foam Recycling Center, 1745 Walsh Avenue, Santa Clara, CA
Arrested:
Omar V. Martinez, DOB 2-01-1978 Suleman Sadruddin Valani, DOB 8-06-1974 Luis Felipe Palma Reyes, DOB 12-07-1984 Yin Wing Wong, "Patrick", DOB 3-04-1939 Oscar Jose Pulido, DOB 10-27-77 Jennifer Aubrey Schreck, DOB 10-6-77 Hung Van Duong, DOB 3-10-1963
Jaime Soria, DOB 10-26-1981, currently a fugitive Ruben Torres, DOB 5-26-1973, currently a fugitive
Anyone who may have any additional information regarding this investigation is urged to contact Sergeant Dave Moody or Officer Mike Roberson of the Narcotics/Covert Investigations Unit, at (408) 277-4115. Persons wishing to remain anonymous may call the San Jose Police Crime Stoppers Program at (408) 947-STOP.
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