A Norwalk man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly stealing about $5,000 worth of copper from a construction site in the Pacific Palisades fire zone.
The arrest came after California Highway Patrol officers stopped a pickup truck along Pacific Coast Highway, just east of Sunset Boulevard, due to expired registration. Inside the truck, officers discovered around 1,000 pounds of copper.
The driver, identified as 22-year-old Ernesto Alegria Ramirez, claimed he had permission to collect the damaged and melted copper from a job site. However, officers found his story suspicious and contacted a foreman from the site, who confirmed Ramirez had no authorization to remove the material.
Ramirez was arrested at the scene on charges of grand theft.
“The CHP continues to support recovery efforts in the Pacific Palisades area, helping protect both people and property,” the CHP West Valley Division said in a statement.
