Arrests Provide Few New Leads To Crime Ring

Police are holding three suspects after an attempted lumber company burglary, but expect little new information on the continuing string of Southem California plywood heists.

The trio allegedly riggered an infrared surveillance system at Champion Lunber Co., Riverside, Sept. 20, alerting a Quick Response security firm. Police were soon on the scene with eight squad cars, four police dogs and a helicopter and apprehended the men.

While their stories are inconsistent one of the illegal aliens admitted he was only being paid to steal the rnaterials and drop the truck off at an unnamed site.

After neady 40 plywood heists, at least five other suspects have been arrested (see Aug. 1993, p.32). Yet authorities seem to be making little headway since it appears the suspects don't know a whole lot and are just hired hands for a large crime ring, said Martyn Temple, Weyerhaeuser, Long Beach, head of the Lumber Association of Southern California's Anti-Theft Committee.

What the criminals do know is how to do their job. They steal expensive merchandise, often unloading lower quality materials to make room on the truck. They're fast, neat, efficient and don't bang up the goods. "I'd lovg to hfue those drivers," said one victim. "They're better than all of mine."

One of the suspects arrested at Champion worked at a local pallet yard.

Still, the arrest did not deter the ring. The next day thieves broke into Riverside County Lumber Co., Riverside, but were scared off while trying to smash through the gate with a forklift.

It would have been the third burglary at Riverside County Lumber in a month. In two late August heists, the company lost a total of three trucks and 39 unis of plywood. Since then there have also been thefts at Cudahy Building Materials, Cudahy; Huff Lumber Co., Santa Fe Springs, and Orange County Lumber, Santa Ana.

LASC continues gathering information on the crimes and ideas on how companies are protecting them- selves. "Now we're concentrating on working harder on prevention," said Temple. "Disable your vehicles and protect the perimeter of your yard."

Champion Lumber considers itself lucky and disables its trucks and forklifts every night. Said v.p. Mark Boone, "Security systems, barbed wire, it doesn't rnatter. If they want to get in, they're going to get in."

Hard luck Riverside County Lumber now not only disables its forklifts, it removes the forks.

National Hardwood Day

National Hardwood Day will be celebrated Oct.22.

Press kits and public service announcements are being used by National Hardwood Lumber Association members to develop local interest stories in their communities. A 30-second video tape clip on tree planting and wood products is available for showing by local tv stations.