Man Recycling “Large Amounts” of Copper Wire Arrested for Alleged Copper Wire Theft
KETTLEMAN CITY, CA — “On 03/11/25 the Kings County Rural Crimes Unit began a copper wire theft investigation of a subject that had been recycling large amounts of copper wire. Sheriff Office Rural Crimes Detectives and the assigned Kings County District Attorney Investigator began conducting surveillance on the subject. Hugo Estrada Mora was ultimately identified after several mobile cameras were set up, along with other technology which allowed us to retrace his movements from days prior.
On 03/25/25 the Rural Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop in the Kettleman City area. Hugo Estrada Mora was contacted and arrested. Evidence of the thefts were located in Mora’s vehicle, along with various tools that were used to steal the wire. Mora provided a statement and admitted to taking the wire. Mora clarified several techniques he used to steal the wire.
Mora was transported to the Kings County Jail and booked for 24 counts of PC 591 (theft of telephone wire), PC 487j (theft of copper wire), and PC 496(a) (possession of stolen property). Mora’s bail was set at $840,000. The theft of copper wire affects all aspects of Kings County and is critical to the daily operations of our agricultural community. The Sheriffs Office, along with the District Attorney Office, are dedicated to tracking down, arresting and prosecuting individuals that set out to damage and cripple our Ag industries and moreover, the people that live within the communities that support our Ag way of life.”
