KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-Solar Panel Theft
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11.19.09
RURAL PASO ROBLES -- Deputies say thieves are turning to wineries and ranches with solar panels in rural areas to make easy money.
Concern is spreading in San Luis Obispo County where the growing trend may be catching on.
"The cost of metal has declined significantly," said Brandy Swain, a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department Crime Prevention Specialist. "It looks like solar panels are becoming the new hot item to steal."
More than $400,000 worth of solar panels have been stolen from vineyards in Napa County, alone.
It is a frustrating trend that is making its way to the Central Coast.
Earlier this month, a ranch in the California Valley was hit. Deputies say thieves stole a solar panel worth nearly $2,000.
"The solar panel was attached to a pole and it looks like they took some sort of saw and cut the lock off and then carried the panel into their truck," said Swain.
Although it has yet to become a widespread problem locally, businesses like EOS Estate Winery in the Paso Robles area are already doing what they can to deter criminals.
"We do have video surveillance that keeps an eye of the property," Kerry Vix, EOS Estate Winery General Manager. "We have security patrols that come through the area on a regular basis and the access to the highway is locked at night."
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Department is working to stay ahead of the game.
Deputies are checking websites like eBay and Craigslist. They have been noticing more and more listings for solar panels popping up.
In late September, deputies in Napa County busted three people for stealing solar panels at a winery, thanks in part to security cameras.
