Oakland Police Bust Power Tool Fencing Operation Worth $300,000
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Oakland police have arrested a man accused of running a fencing operation involving a huge cache of stolen power tools worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Police say San Leandro resident Wullian Cordova-Cubias, 31, was arrested after a month-long investigation which also generated arrests of multiple burglary suspects.
Cordova-Cubias is alleged to have bought the stolen equipment from burglars in order to sell them at flea markets in Oakland and San Jose.
"This fence particularly purchased stolen tools, commercial-grade tools, from auto burglars and commercial burglars throughout the Bay Area, specifically here in the city of Oakland" said Oakland Police Sgt. Michael Valle in a video posted on the department's Facebook page.
On Thursday, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Cordova-Cubias with possession of about 250 stolen power tools, worth an estimated $300,000.
Cordova-Cubias was also charged with possession of a firearm and possession of methamphetamine.
Valle said the burglary victims were likely doubly-impacted when their property was stolen.
"Without these tools and the loss of these tools, we believe that these victims are losing not only the value of the tool, but also the tools that they need to complete their jobs and get paid," said Valle.
Investigators are looking to identify victims in Oakland and neighboring cities to return the property to their rightful owners. Victims can call the OPD's burglary section at (510) 238-3951
