Two Arrested for Copper Theft at PG&E Yard; Third Suspect At Large

Two men were arrested for copper theft at the Davis PG&E yard early Thursday morning, and police believe a third suspect is still at large.

Davis Police were dispatched to the PG&E yard at 4 a.m. Thursday after a caller reported seeing three suspects loading items into a sedan. When police arrived, they saw a pickup truck leaving the area.

When officers pulled the truck over, one of the occupants tried to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended. Police searched the truck and found spools of copper wire and bolt cutters, according to Police Lt. Paul Dorovhov.

The truck was occupied by Alejandro Rojas (a 37-year-old Concord resident) and Michael Golden (a 45-year-old Albany resident). Golden was the one who attempted to escape. Both were arrested on burglary and other theft charges. They were lodged at the Yolo County Jail.

The third suspect, however, remains at large.

“A further check of the area revealed a red four door Dodge Avenger stopped next the PG&E fence,” said Doroshov in a statement. “A portion of the fence had been cut in close proximity to where this sedan was parked.”

More stolen copper wire was found in the Avenger, which police believe is a rental car from the San Francisco Bay Area.

This is the third time the PG&E yard has been broken into in a month, according to Dorovhov.

On May 18, the fence was cut to the PG&E yard and to a City of Davis yard. The thief stole tools and a city vehicle. Alan Ross, 36, was arrested in Sacramento for that crime.

Another burglary occurred on June 3, when an unknown suspect cut a hole in the fence, but fled the scene prior to police arrival. That case remains unsolved. 

If you have any information about the Dodge Avenger or the third suspect in this crime, contact justin.cox@patch.com or the Davis Police Department.