Deputies from the Highland Police Department responded to the area of Greenspot Road and Boulder Avenue in Highland reference theft of wiring. Unknown suspect(s) stole approximately 1100 feet of underground copper wiring from the newly installed decorative street lights. City workers estimated the total loss and repairs to be approximately $10,000.
On Feb. 25, San Bernardino International Airport Police located a large amount of stripped wiring in a flood control basin near a homeless camp located near the intersection of 3rd Street and Shirley Street in Highland.
Highland Investigators responded to the flood control basin and identified the wire as the same wire stolen from the street light fixtures two days prior. Investigators searched the nearby homeless camp and located additional stolen streetlight wire.
The suspects, Michael Rourke, 50, and Sherry Stripling, 32, were living in the homeless camp and were found in possession of the stolen wire. Investigators determined the suspects stole the wire on Greenspot Road, stripped out the copper in the flood control basin and then sold the copper at local recycling centers.
Rourke and Stripling were arrested, transported and booked into the Central Detention Center for Possession of Stolen Property and Grand Theft.
Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Highland Police Department. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com