Patterson Man Arrested Following $50,000 Agricultural Copper Wire Thefts in Monterey County
MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit has arrested a 30-year-old Patterson resident following an investigation into a series of copper wire thefts from regional agricultural properties. The financial losses associated with the thefts in Monterey County are estimated to exceed $50,000.
Detectives utilized surveillance cameras and Flock automated license plate readers to identify the suspect as Filadelfo Osorio Diaz. Following the execution of search warrants and period surveillance, detectives contacted Diaz on June 11, 2026. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Diaz admitted to stealing copper wire from multiple agricultural sites within Monterey County, as well as committing additional thefts in neighboring counties. Investigators determined that the stolen material was processed through metal recycling businesses located in the Central Valley.
Diaz was taken into custody and booked into the Monterey County Jail. He faces multiple felony charges, including six counts of grand theft, six counts of vandalism, one count of burglary, and one count of conspiracy. His bail has been set at $20,000. Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office noted that equipment thefts of this scale introduce operational delays and increased expenses within the local agricultural sector.
