Santa Barbara man is suspected of angling for discarded drugs
A Santa Barbara man was nabbed early Sunday not for being hooked on drugs: He was arrested on suspicion of getting drugs on a hook.
Christian Kulbe, 46, was taken into custody just after midnight when a Santa Barbara Sheriff’s sergeant saw him stealing items from a dropbox for discarded drugs, the department said in a news release.
“The suspect was using a homemade cord and fishing hook to remove syringes, medications and other controlled substances that were inside the cabinet,” the release said.
The sergeant didn’t have to work hard to crack the caper -- the Operation Medicine Cabinet kiosk is located in front of the department’s Coastal Station in Carpinteria.
Officials seized as evidence medications, syringes and the “fishing” device Kulbe allegedly used to retrieve them from the box, which is part of a county program for the safe disposal of medicine, officials said.
Kulbe was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of possessing stolen property, petty theft, possessing burglary tools, prowling and possessing controlled substances.
His bail was set at $2,500 and he was released late Sunday night, a jail employee said Monday.
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