Police Arrest Two Men for Copper Wire and Metal Theft in Visalia

VISALIA – Two men have been arrested for a string of commercial burglaries and the theft of copper wire and metal.

Jason Stockdale

Jason Ramirez

The Visalia Police Department arrested 31-year-old Jason Ramirez and 39-year-old Jason Stockdale Monday night at the scene of their latest crime.

Officers received a tip that two men were inside the old Vons grocery store late at night. When police arrived at the scene, the found Ramirez and Stockdale inside, in the process of stealing copper wire and metal from the building, police say. Authorities took them into custody at the scene.

Detectives with the Visalia Property Crime Unit believe Ramirez and Stockdale are also responsible for commercial burglaries that took place at several empty businesses around town. In April, they also allegedly broke their way into the same Vons store and then began methodically cutting the copper wire where they could. Other stores targeted by the two were the former Staples store and former Long’s Drugs store on Mooney Boulevard.

Authorities say the men would completely strip out the copper wire from plumbing fixtures, electrical wiring and wherever else they could find it in the buildings. The value of the wire and metal they took was set at approximately $268,000.

Ramirez was on the loose with a warrant out for his arrest for stealing a car and wire from Serpa Auto center in October of last year. Both Ramirez and Stockdale were booked on theft and burglary charges.

Police are encouraging business owners to install alarms and surveillance cameras to prevent these sorts of crimes from taking place.

Read More:

Visalia Times Delta- Visalia Police Arrest Two Men in Connection with Wire and Metal Theft

ABC30- Visalia Copper Wire Thieves Arrested