CHP air operations catch two suspected copper wire thieves in the act near high-speed rail overpass

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- California Highway Patrol aerial operations spotted and helped halt an alleged copper ligament theft successful advancement precocious Tuesday adjacent a high-speed obstruction overpass successful Fresno.

CHP craft patrolling the country utilized infrared cameras to observe what officers described arsenic suspicious enactment adjacent the overpass astatine Mountain View and Chestnut Avenues.

Within seconds, officers determined that a theft appeared to beryllium underway.

The motortruck the suspects were utilizing had a enactment tied to its hitch, which officers said was attached to copper ligament pulled from the overpass. As the motortruck attempted to thrust away, the ligament tugged down further lines.

With the country monitored from above, aerial operations directed crushed units to the location.

"The enactment that they tossed implicit Mountain View is present tied to the hitch of the motortruck they're trying to thrust distant with it pulling down different wires with it," an serviceman said during vigor postulation recorded connected the aircraft.

The suspects did not get acold earlier 2 crushed units approached their truck. Video captured from the craft shows some individuals rapidly surrendering earlier being taken into custody.

Officer Torres, who was aboard the CHP craft on with the pilot, said the suspicious enactment stood retired immediately.

"We flew implicit it and saw it. Normally radical wouldn't beryllium determination astatine that clip if they were workers; they didn't person immoderate ladders oregon things similar that," Torres said.

Torres explained that from wrong the aircraft, helium monitors up to 8 radios portion watching 2 screens and operating the camera system.

"You person the handheld implicit determination close adjacent to the keyboard, that's what we usage to power the camera. Kind of similar a power video crippled benignant of thing," helium said.

Officials identified the suspects arsenic 38-year-old Jason Matthew Walker Sr. and 53-year-old Bryan Charles Boreliz.

Authorities said the 2 were capable to propulsion astir 15 to 25 feet of copper ligament from the overpass.

CHP officials said copper theft has go progressively communal due to the fact that of the metal's precocious scrap value.

"When you're driving up a highway, freeway and metropolis streets you'll stumble upon it it's that common," Sgt. Chris Barrett said.

CHP leaders emphasized that aerial operations supply captious enactment to authorities instrumentality enforcement, offering a broader position and capturing grounds that tin pb to safer outcomes.

"A batch of radical deliberation each we bash is constitute tickets and crashes connected the freeway acold from it," Barrett said. "We person a ample footprint successful wide instrumentality enforcement arsenic well."

The probe is ongoing by Fresno CHP. The 2 suspects could beryllium facing superior charges similar felony expansive theft, vandalism, and conspiracy.

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