Man Caught Stealing Copper From Caltrain Tracks In SMC: Police

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – A 24-year-old man was arrested for trying to steal copper from Caltrain Sunday in South San Francisco, police said.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, deputies from the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and volunteer pilots were keeping watch over the Caltrain tracks from the Sheriff’s plane when they noticed a person actively pulling cable from the train tracks, police said.

Working with the South San Francisco Police Department, deputies said they moved in and took the suspect, 24-year-old Diego Sanchez-Palomares, into custody.

Police said Sanchez-Palomares, who is currently on probation, had removed about 50 feet of cable from beneath the tracks. The stolen cable was recovered by the deputies, and police estimated the repairs will cost about $5,000.

Sanchez-Palomares was arrested and booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility on charges including grand theft of copper materials, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit a crime, tampering with a railroad and trespassing on a railroad facility, police said.

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is the law enforcement agency that works with Caltrain, which provides service between San Francisco and Gilroy.