Santiago Lopez, 39, and Teresa Ruiz, 35, both from Palmdale, were arrested Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Kern County after an undercover operation caught them purchasing 400 pounds of copper wire. (Kern County SO)
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Two Palmdale residents were arrested following an undercover operation targeting copper wire theft in Kern County, authorities said Wednesday.
Santiago Lopez, 39, and Teresa Ruiz, 35, were taken into custody on Tuesday after Lopez purchased approximately 400 pounds of copper wire from undercover detectives in southern Kern County, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrests culminated a months-long investigation by the sheriff’s Rural Crime Investigations Unit into numerous copper wire thefts across the county that caused thousands of dollars in damage to properties, authorities said.
Investigators developed evidence showing Lopez traveled to Kern County to purchase stolen copper wire and then transported it to Los Angeles for recycling, the sheriff’s office said.
During the undercover operation, Lopez purchased the copper wire without asking where it came from, failing to provide a receipt, and not documenting identification or vehicle information, authorities said. He also did not possess a recycler’s license.
Those actions violated California Penal Code 496A(A) and Business and Professions Code provisions, according to the sheriff’s office.
California law requires recycling centers to document sellers’ names, identification numbers, vehicle license plates and the origin of materials. The regulations, detailed in Business and Professions Code starting at section 21600, also mandate recycling centers report daily transactions to local sheriff’s offices.
Both suspects were booked at the Kern County Inmate Reception Center.
Got a Tip?
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone with information to call (661) 861-3110 or the Secret Witness Hotline at (661) 322-4040.
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