5 arrested, $147K in stolen copper from Kennecott recovered

SOUTH SALT LAKE — Over 10,000 pounds of stolen copper was recovered Thursday as part of an investigation that began at the Rio Tinto Kennecott mine.

The investigation started when an 8,600-pound copper mold, valued at $55,000, was reported stolen on Sept. 6, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday, Finaulahi Vailala, 36, and Duc Bui, 35 were arrested after being caught on security cameras driving a Ford F-350 with a flatbed trailer past the mine’s security checkpoint and onto the property, according to police booking affidavits.

Once on the property, they grabbed another Kennecott flatbed truck and drove both into a scrap metal area, using a forklift to load metal pieces, the byproduct of a copper smelting process, valued at around $25,000, the affidavits allege.

Officers set up at the exit to the mining property and said they watched as the men drove past them. Police say Bui ditched his vehicle and fled on foot but was arrested; Vailala was stopped farther away and taken into custody as well.

The investigation

The investigation continued, leading police to Ortiz Metal Processing in Salt Lake City.

“A nearby metal recycling plant who contracts with the mine called after Ortiz Metal recycling attempted to sell them one of the copper molds,” according to a police booking affidavit.

Responding officers found more than 10,000 pounds of stolen copper at the location, the sheriff’s office says, and the facility owner Fabian Oritz, 49, was arrested on Thursday.

Detectives said they recovered the mold, a 6,000-pound copper “button” valued at $30,000, and multiple copper plates worth $62,500.

“A receipt was located on additional suspects that showed Ortiz Metal recycling paid approximately $22,000 for the copper mold,” the affidavit says. Two more arrests were made related to the case — Hea Mahe, 36, and JL Fakalata, 35.

Fakalata admitted to stealing 50 copper anodes, and was found in possession of a Ruger handgun in his waistband, according to police.

Mahe was booked into jail Wednesday for investigation of criminal trespass, burglary and theft. Fakalata was booked Thursday for investigation of theft, possession of a firearm by a restricted person, possession of a controlled substance, and trespassing.

Ortiz was also booked Thursday on suspicion of theft.

“Stolen metals are particularly difficult to recover,” the Utah Attorney General’s Office said in a news release, “and an operation at this level not only returns assets to the rightful owners but also deters future theft.”