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Crime & Safety

Oakland Man Faces Grand Theft Charges in Case of Stolen Tree Grates

Officials from the city's Public Works Department reported several cast iron tree grates were taken.

A Oakland man is accused of donning an orange vest and pretending to be a city worker in order to steal cast iron grates protecting trees in San Leandro, police said today.

Officials from the city's Public Works Department first reported
the thefts on Monday when they discovered several metal tree grates had been stolen on the north end of 14th Street, said Lt. Jeff Tudor, San Leandro police spokesman.

Abundio Colmenero, 57, was arrested Thursday afternoon when a San Leandro police officer noticed a man pulling up a grate near Creekside Plaza on San Leandro Boulevard.

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Police said Colmenero was wearing an orange work vest similar to those worn by city workers. He also had an open can of paint, making him appear to be legitimately working in the area.

Tudor said after the officer contacted the man, he spotted two other cast iron grates in the back of a black pickup truck. A license plate check determined the truck was stolen out of Oakland.

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Inside the vehicle, police said they discovered receipts for the sale of more than 1,600 pounds of recycled materials.

Colmenero faces charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of stolen property and grand theft.

Tudor said the theft of the grates was a "well-planned crime." 

"Colmenero used props and construction type uniforms to help conceal his criminal act," Tudor said. "It’s rewarding when you can arrest a subject like Colmenero who is stealing city property.”

— Bay City News Service contributed to this story.

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