A man suspected of stealing copper was arrested by Imperial County Sheriff's Deputies on Saturday afternoon.

At about 1:30 Saturday afternoon, the Sheriff's dispatch center received a call about a suspicious man riding a bicycle near the intersection of Highway 111 and Shartz Road near Brawley. The man was carrying a bundle of copper wire. Deputies were able to locate the man, 44-year-old German Arteaga-Arellano, on old Highway 111 and Malan Street in Brawley. Arellano told deputies that he found the bundle of copper near a drainage canal. Deputies, aware of frequent burglaries at the Mesquite Power Plant on Old Highway 111 near Keystone Road, went to the plant and found fresh bicycle tire tracks and shoe impressions that matched Arellano shoes and bike. The suspect later admitted stealing the copper wire. He was arrested and booked into Imperial County Jail for Burglary, Possession of Burglary Tools, Trespassing, and Grand Theft. The copper is valued at $1,000.