Arrests in Thefts of Recycling Bins

Less than a day after the Manhattan Beach residential trash recycling program began Monday, police arrested two men for allegedly pilfering recycling bins.

Other pilfering has been reported, but these are the only arrests that have been made under the city ordinance against salvaging without a permit, authorities said.

According to police, Enrique Palma Vargas, 27, of Inglewood and Jesus Urena Maldonado, 62, of Los Angeles were arrested at 1:25 p.m. Monday as they were allegedly putting an orange recycling bin into a truck at 748 Rosecrans Ave.

Det. Sgt. John Zea said the men were released for arraignment on misdemeanor charges Jan. 4 in South Bay Municipal Court in Torrance. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of a $500 fine and six months in jail.

Zea said he expects police to make a lot of arrests because the value of recyclable materials always attracts pilferers.

In the city recycling program, newspapers, plastic soft drink containers, glass and aluminum and tin cans are placed in recycling bins supplied to 15,000 residences by the city. They are collected on regular trash pickup days by Western Waste Industries under a contract with the city.