Staff Reports

City of Industry – Plastic thefts have been a major issue in California, but the Industrial Plastic Theft Task Force have been working hard to reduce the number of thefts in the LA County area. The Industrial Plastic Theft Task Force is a group from the City of Industry station who have dedicated their time to recover stolen plastics. They were formed in 2011 and are believed to be the only team of this type in the nation. Most of the stolen and recovered plastics are pallets, trays, shelves, baskets, and totes (collapsable crates) from grocery stores, pizza places, bakery industry, restaurants, beverage companies, and shipping and receiving companies. Once thieves collect the plastic, they take it to sites where it can be grounded and then sold to plastic manufacturers. “The plastic trademark products are often stolen from the loading docks behind businesses throughout Los Angeles County and the entire region,” said Sergeant Nabeel Mitry, Industry Sheriff’s Station Industrial Plastic Theft Task Force, in a news release. “Additionally, either employees steal the plastics themselves, or leave them in a place outside the business so their crime partners can pick them up,” Mitry added. Sheriff’s investigators are recovering property stolen from victims throughout Los Angeles County, especially the San Gabriel Valley, as well as communities in neighboring counties such as in the Inland Empire and Orange County. The Plastic Theft Task Force has recovered about $6.5 million worth of items in the past year, according to local reports. They have arrested at least 50 suspects in the past year and have located about 20 sites used to stow or grind stolen plastic. “The victims of these thefts are hard working businesspeople contributing products and services to their customers, as well as jobs to the economy. The enormous cost to businesses as a result of these thefts is ultimately paid by consumers through increases in prices for goods and services,”said Industry Sheriff’s Station Captain Mike Claus in the release. “Clearly, the enormity of the loss just in Los Angeles County could easily exceed $10 million dollars a year. I have been contacted by Los Angeles County and even worldwide global businesses who have made it clear that this is an epidemic that has never been addressed. These businesspeople are grateful that the Sheriff’s Department has taken a leadership role in addressing this issue and educating the public about it. While expressing gratitude, some business owners explained that their losses had been so huge, that had the thefts continued, they most likely would have had to go out of business.” “We will continue to find these stolen products and return them to their rightful owners, and the people responsible will be arrested and addressed by the criminal justice system,” said Captain Claus.