3 More Suspects Held in Manhole Cover Thefts
Three more suspected manhole cover thieves were arrested by Los Angeles police Thursday when they arrived with a truckload of the lifted lids at the same downtown salvage yard where two men were caught the day before.
Police believe the suspects are part of a ring that stole several hundred municipal and utility manhole covers, catch basin lids and storm drain grates during the past two weeks. Booked for investigation of receiving stolen property were Los Angeles residents Julian Miguel Ruiz, 25; Rual Hernandez, 25; and Luis Vallecillo, 25.
They were arrested, police said, after arriving at the Downtown Metal Center in an old pickup truck to sell four of the 200-pound discs.
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