LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) announced the arrests of two men accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of copper wire, as city leaders push to combat the growing problem of metal theft.
Officers responded around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday to reports of grand theft in the 15000 block of Germain Street in Mission Hills, where they found four suspects allegedly cutting large amounts of copper wire from an electrical pole.
According to police, one suspect immediately complied with officers and was detained, while three others fled on foot. Officers later caught one of the fleeing suspects.
The two men arrested were identified as Concepcion Vasquez, 53, and Jose Garcia Avila, 51, both of whom were booked into Van Nuys Jail on suspicion of grand theft.
Authorities recovered approximately $50,000 worth of stolen copper wire at the scene. The LAPD said the investigation remains active, with two additional suspects still at large and further arrests expected.
The arrests come shortly after the Los Angeles City Council approved a reward program to encourage public tips in copper wire and precious metal theft cases.
Copper theft has led to widespread streetlight outages across Los Angeles, raising public safety concerns. A CBS News California Investigates report found that the city logged more than 37,000 streetlight repair requests in 2025, with over half still awaiting service as of September.
Authorities urge residents to report suspicious activity near electrical poles, streetlights, or city infrastructure to help curb copper theft and improve public safety.
