Suspicious Subject 

November 8, 2023 - Imperial County Sheriff's Office officials report that on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at approximately 1:36 P.M., the Imperial County Sheriff's Dispatch received a call of a suspicious Hispanic male riding a bicycle while carrying a bundle of copper wire at the intersection of Highway 111 and Shartz Road near Brawley. Deputies responded to the area and attempted to locate the subject. Deputies located a Hispanic male, later identified as German Arteaga-Arellano (49) (DOB 8-17-74), matching the description, on old Highway 111 and Malan Street in Brawley. Arellano stated he had found the bundle of wire on old Highway 111 near the Bryant Road drainage canal.

Deputies were aware of frequent burglaries to the Mesquite Power Plant on old Highway 111 and Keystone Road. Deputies responded to the Mesquite Power Plant and located fresh bicycle tire tracks and matching shoe impressions to Arellano. The shoe impressions were tracked to the rear of the business where copper wires were being stripped.

Arellano later admitted to stealing the copper wire from the Mesquite Power Plant. Arellano was arrested and booked into the Imperial County Jail for Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, Trespassing, and Grand Theft. The value of the copper wire was estimated to be $1,000.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for taking an active role in protecting the community by reporting this suspicious activity.

Source & photo: Imperial County Sheriff's Office