TULARE, CA (KMJ) – Tulare County ag detectives say a citrus thief was caught thanks to some high-tech help from local farmers.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Ag Crimes Unit arrested 39-year-old Julio Cesar Zepeda after game cameras captured him and two others allegedly stealing oranges from groves near Lindsay.
Investigators say farmers installed the cameras after spotting a suspicious vehicle in the area of Road 204 and Avenue 216.
Detectives estimate Zepeda stole about five bins of Valencia oranges, causing roughly two-thousand dollars in losses. He was booked on charges including grand theft and conspiracy, along with unrelated charges.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
