Recycling Thief Arrested - Property Recovered

Modesto, CA –Modesto Police discovered a large cache of water meters in a Southeast Modesto home that had been stolen from the City of Discovery Bay. The water meters were being stripped of their brass components in order to be sold to local recyclers.

Officers with the Modesto Police Beat Health Unit were following up on a prior drug investigation and went to an address in the 600 block of Benson Avenue. They contacted resident Stanley Perry, 44 years old, of Modesto. Perry was carrying a box of brass items out of the house when he was confronted. An inquiry began which led to the discovery of numerous boxes of water meters, in different stages of being stripped. The investigation led to the origin of the meters in DiscoveryBay. DiscoveryBay officials realized they were missing a large amount of meters from their storage facility.

A total of sixty five meters were recovered from the residence and investigators learned that as recently as yesterday two suspects attempted to sell the brass at a local scrap metal recycler who refused to accept the items because of the suspicious nature of their delivery.

The meters have a value of $229.00 each so the total recovery of the property was valued at almost $15,000. The City of Discovery Bay sent a representative to the Modesto Police Department to recover the meters.

Stanley Perry was arrested for possession of stolen property and violation of bail conditions from a prior drug arrest case. Perry’s bail was set at $35,000, his booking photo is attached. Also wanted in connection for the theft is Daniel Cantrell, 42 years old, of Modesto.

If you have any information about this case you are asked to contact Officer John McGill or Officer Amy Bublak at (209) 572-9500