2 arrested after theft of copper wire cuts power to 35 light poles on Irvine trail

Irvine police arrested two men over the weekend in connection with the theft of copper wire from an electrical box.

Police said the theft cut power to about 35 light poles along a bike path between Sand Canyon Avenue and Jeffrey Road near the 405 Freeway.

At around 2:50 a.m. Saturday, an officer patrolling near Sand Canyon and the 405 saw two men run toward the bike trail from a parking lot, the Irvine Police Department said. After stopping the men, the officer discovered that they had wire cutters, gloves, flashlights and knives, department spokeswoman Farrah Emami said.

Police searched the men’s car and found about 2 feet of heavy copper wiring, Emami added.

When officers checked the bike path, they found that the power was out on dozens of light poles and eventually determined that the men had cut the copper wire out of a nearby electrical box.

Police identified the suspects as Daniel Villanueva and Jose Rene Romeroocampo, both 35.

They were arrested on suspicion of grand theft, vandalism and possession of burglary tools.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck