Although it has recovered more than $7 million in stolen goods in the past 16 months, funding for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Industrial Plastic Theft Task Force is due to expire this month, officials said Friday.

Based at the sheriff’s Industry Station, the five-person task force is the first of its kind targeting the theft of trademarked plastic goods.

Since its inception in September 2011, task force members have made 65 arrests – all but one resulting in felony charges – and shut down 28 locations where pilfered plastics were being stored or ground up for recycling, deputies said.

Plastic thefts have become a major problem for Southland business, officials said. With plastic selling for about 15 cents a pound, thieves see milk crates, pallets and bread trays as a quick source of cash. They sell them to local recyclers, who then ground them into pellets that are often shipped to Asian plastics manufacturers.

It is not uncommon for the pilfered plastic to end up being resold to the victimized companies.

“Some companies will go out of business because of the thefts. They can’t sustain it,” said Capt. Michael Claus, who heads the sheriff’s Industry Station.

…FULL STORY

INDUSTRY — A La Puente man died early Thursday in a motorcycle crash on Fullerton Road, authorities said.
The crash took place just before 9 a.m. at Fullerton Road and Arenth Avenue, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Sgt. Russell Boucher said.
Lt. Arthur Scott said the rider was initially described as a 38-year-old La Puente man.
He was southbound Fullerton Road prior to the crash, the lieutenant said.
A vehicle being drive by a man made a left turn from northbound Fullerton Road onto Arenth Avenue in front of the motorcyclist, who was unable to avoid a collision, Scott said.
The motorcyclist was thrown from his motorcycle, officials said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Though the crash was initially believed to have been caused by the vehicle that was making the left turn, nothing criminal was initially suspected and the crash appeared to be an accident, Scott said.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators, he added.

INDUSTRY — Sheriff’s deputies arrested three people on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol Friday during a checkpoint, officials said.
More than 1,800 vehicles passed through Friday night’s checkpoint at Valley Boulevard and 6th Street, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. Of those, 1,224 drivers were screened.
Two drivers were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana, while another was jailed on suspicion of driving under the influence of marijuana and alcohol, according to the statement.
Two drivers were arrested on suspicion of being addicts driving vehicles, and two drivers were arrested for not having licenses, officials said. Four cars were impounded for one day.

INDUSTRY — A 20-year-old man died Sunday in a rollover crash on the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway, authorities said.

The crash was reported about 7:15 p.m. on the southbound side of the freeway, just south of Peck Road, California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball said.

The man was driving a Saturn sedan in the right lane when it went over the right shoulder and overturned, Kimball said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers from the CHP’s Santa Fe Springs office are investigating the cause of the crash.

AVOCADO HEIGHTS – An explosion that sent compressed gas cylinders raining onto a neighborhood Monday led to the evacuation of residents and the two-hour closure of the eastbound 60 Freeway.

The explosion occurred about 11:30 a.m. on Cambray Drive, in a small neighborhood near the interchange of the 60 and 605 freeways. No one was injured.

The explosion, which was caused by the failure of a 50-gallon compressed carbon dioxide tank, flattened the bed

of the pickup truck carrying it and flung 18 other cylinders into neighboring yards. The cylinders are commonly used to carbonate soda in restaurant soft-drink machines.

“Those cylinders have been kicked around this neighborhood,” said Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Tony Imbrenda. “The truck was pretty well demolished.”

…FULL STORY - J.D. Velasco