SAN BERNARDINO – (INT) – Metal thieves have graduated to cardboard.

It’s being stolen from recycling bins throughout the county and trucked off to recycling centers. The thieves are paid from $200 to $400 per truckload.

Steve Rivera, an investigator with the district attorney’s office, says that losses to the recycling/refuse industry in the county is huge.

“We have estimates of about $1.3 million a year. The cardboard is a commodity that has a value and is not considered trash. The thieves are out to be paid for the cardboard itself.”

Ultimately, the losses are passed on to consumers.

Rivera says the trend began about 6-months ago.

Story Date: January 27, 2015