Man Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Copper from Caltrain Tracks
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA — “An overnight operation on Sunday caught a suspect in the act of stealing copper cable from Caltrain tracks in South San Francisco. The arrest highlights the effective use of technology and resources, including the Sheriff’s Office airplane, to detect crimes in progress.
During the early morning hours on Sunday, Jan. 11, deputies with the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and volunteer pilots operating the Sheriff’s Office airplane were monitoring Caltrain tracks when they observed a suspect actively removing cable from the train tracks in South San Francisco.
Through a coordinated effort that included assistance from the South San Francisco Police Department, deputies took the suspect, 24-year-old Diego Sanchez-Palomares, into custody.
The investigation revealed Sanchez-Palomares, who is on probation, removed about 50 feet of cable from beneath the train tracks. The cable was recovered by deputies and is estimated to cost $5,000 to repair.
Sanchez-Palomares was arrested and booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility for the following charges:
487(j) PC – Grand Theft, Copper Materials
496(a) PC – Receiving Stolen Property
182(a)(1) PC – Conspiracy to Commit a Crime
587A PC – Tampering with a Railroad
554(G) PC – Trespass, Railroad Facility
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is the contracted law enforcement agency for Caltrain, which serves customers from San Francisco to Gilroy.”
