Police Seek Suspect in $34,000 Copper Wire Theft
Palm Springs police are asking the public for help identifying a suspect caught on camera stealing telecommunications wire over a 10-day span.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Property Crime
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Palm Springs Police Department is seeking identification of a suspect in a copper wire theft estimated at $34,000 that occurred between Oct. 19 and Oct. 28. Surveillance video shows the suspect cutting low-lying telecommunications wires with what appears to be gardening shears or a similar tool.
Why it matters
Copper wire theft disrupts telecommunications service and carries repair costs that can affect residents and service providers across the area. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department and reference PSPD Report #2610P-6311.
The Palm Springs Police Department is actively seeking the public's help identifying the suspect, with no arrest reported as of the latest update. Riverside County sheriff's deputies have separately located a vehicle linked to a wire theft investigation in Mead Valley.
The players
Palm Springs Police Department
The municipal police agency serving the city of Palm Springs in Riverside County, California, which is investigating the copper wire thefts and asking the public for tips.
Riverside County Sheriff's Department
The county law enforcement agency that serves unincorporated areas of Riverside County, California, including Mead Valley, and located the linked vehicle using license plate reader technology.
The details
Surveillance footage captured one thief wearing a short-sleeve shirt, pants and a baseball cap while cutting low-lying telecommunications wires with what appears to be gardening shears. Riverside County deputies used Automated License Plate Reader cameras to identify and locate a vehicle linked to a wire theft investigation in Mead Valley on Oct. 22.
Timeline
Oct. 19 to Oct. 28: Copper wire theft spree occurred in Palm Springs.
Oct. 22: Riverside County deputies located the linked vehicle in Mead Valley.
Legal Context
Copper wire theft has drawn growing attention across Southern California, where thieves target telecommunications lines for scrap metal value. The use of Automated License Plate Reader cameras by Riverside County sheriff's deputies to connect a vehicle to a separate Mead Valley theft shows how investigators are linking metal theft cases across jurisdictions.
Residents and businesses near telecommunications lines in Palm Springs should report suspicious activity around low-lying wires to the police department. Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the department and reference PSPD Report #2610P-6311.
The takeaway
Reporting suspicious activity near telecommunications wires and providing details such as clothing, vehicles or tools can help investigators solve metal theft cases. Reference PSPD Report #2610P-6311 when contacting the Palm Springs Police Department.
Further reading
Explore more local reporting in Property Crime coverage for Palm Springs.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTLA 5.
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