Kern County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested a 54-year-old Bakersfield man on suspicion of stealing more than $8,000 in tools from a local utility.
Deputies said they arrested Jeffrey Copeland after an investigation revealed that they suspected him of stealing a service truck from an Oildale area yard of a utility company. The vehicle was recovered but tools were missing.
Employees of the utility started seeing the missing tools show up on buying and selling mobile website application. An investigation led detectives to Copeland and his home in the 1200 block of Washington Avenue. Deputies said they recovered the tools but also found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Copeland was taken to and booked into the Central Receiving Facility on suspicion of possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.