Another in the continuing tale of metal thefts, from Art Campos:
Roseville police are trying to flush out one of the most unusual bandits ever to hit town.
The culprit, who dresses in plumber's clothing, walks into restaurants, visits the restrooms and takes apart the toilets and urinals to steal metal parts and pipes.
The "Bathroom Bandit" has pulled the stunt at four Roseville restaurants over a nine-day span, police say.
"It's amazing how brazen some of these thieves are getting in their thefts of metal," Dee Dee Gunther, police spokeswoman, said, adding that burglars frequently try to sell the metals to recyclers.
Gunther said police have seen numerous thefts at construction sites for copper wire and metals, and they've taken reports for the theft of brass nameplates taken from neightborhood entry signs. Roseville has also been hit hard by thieves who steal catalytic converters from vehicles, she said.
"But as far as I know, this is the first time we have had people go into an open business and dismantle the plumbing," she said.
The bathroom bandit pulled the first caper in Roseville on Aug. 13, then two more on Wednesday before committing his fourth crime at an eatery today, Gunther said. A similar incident occurred at a Taco Bell in Citrus Heights last week, police in that city said.
In the Roseville thefts, the suspect wore a brown denim-type long-sleeved shirt in one crime and a dark blue mechanic's overalls in the other three incidents, Gunther said.
The man is described as white, in his 30s, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and with a medium build. He has short, light-colored hair and appears to be unshaven.
He was seen getting into a white sedan, possibly a 1990s Pontiac Grand Am driven by a woman, Gunther said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Roseville police at (916) 774-5070.
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