MARTINEZ, Calif. (KCBS) -- As the popularity of solar energy grows, solar panels are becoming a hot new item for thieves, according to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department.
Department spokesman Jimmy Lee said the solar panel thefts appeared to be an evolution of the theft of copper wire and highway guard rails, although the panels cannot be sold for scrap. “It seems like it’s evolutionary,” he said.
Stealing a solar panel requires considerably more knowledge than simply tearing out wire or ripping down a railing, so investigators believe it’s likely the thieves at several homes and industrial sites had been trained in solar panel installation.
“In order to steal a solar panel, it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take some know-how. You’re going to need a vehicle to move these panels which are fairly large,” he said.
Recording the serial number and engraving some sort of identifying information on the panel such as a drivers license number can help investigators prove panels have been stolen, Lee said.
He would not specify how many instances there have been of solar panel theft, but said investigators were working on several open cases.
(jro)
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KCBS' Bob Butler reports
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