The rising number of cardboard thefts in San Bernardino County is being address by the District Attorney’s office with increased enforcement and prosecutuion efforts. (File Photo)
By G. T. Houts
Mountain Communities – For most mountain residents, cardboard is… just there. However, that seemingly useless agglomeration of wood pulp is worth something to somebody.
So it turns out that stealing cardboard is a relatively easy — and surprisingly profitable — crime that’s caught the attention of the San Bernardino County District Attorney.
CARDBOARD THEFT
Over the course of last year, investigators assigned to the Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit of the District Attorney’s office have noticed a trend of commodity theft in the form of recyclable materials, specifically cardboard.
Supervising investigator Jerry Villanueva, explained in a media release that this recyclable commodity is stolen by various persons throughout the county by entering locked or unlocked recycling bins resulting in an estimated minimum loss to the refuse/recycle industry of approximately $1.3 million annually.
Though they are typically committed during daylight hours, these commodity thefts largely go unreported to law enforcement because the product being stolen is perceived to be trash.
“Unfortunately,” Villanueva stated, “these thefts are committed on a daily basis by the various violators throughout the county who remove the cardboard from clearly marked recycle bins and ultimately transport the cardboard to a local recycling company.
“They can receive anywhere between $200 and $400 per truck load,” he explained.
CONSUMER’S IMPACTED
The million dollar-plus cost to the industry of these thefts is then passed on to the consumer, by way of increased monthly refuse collection fees.
“It is the intention of the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office, Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit, to investigate and prosecute any persons involved in cardboard theft,” Villanueva’s release added.
“It is the goal of the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office to safeguard the consumer by reducing the number of cardboard theft incidents,” Villanueva concluded, “thereby reducing the monetary loss to the industry, a loss which ultimately is suffered by the consumers who pay increased fees as a result of these crimes.”
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Persons with information about cardboard theft are urged to contact Villanueva at (909) 891-3625. (127)