CALIFORNIA COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM BUSINESSES Computer power cord helps El Segundo police connect in theft caseComputer power cord helps El Segundo police connect in theft case
By Larry Altman
Daily Breeze

A man suspected of stealing an expensive plasma television from an El Segundo business found himself in police custody Tuesday for one reason -- he neglected to take the power cord to go with it.

Police were waiting for Christopher Lee Arnold, 24, when the suspect showed up to buy the cord at the only business where they are sold in Southern California. And when detectives investigated further, they found $1.5 million worth of computer equipment at his home.

"He had storage sheds in the back yard just filled with this stuff," El Segundo police Lt. Walt Krumbach said. "We ended up renting a U-Haul truck to transfer it from Culver City to back here."

The burglary at an electronics store in the 200 block of Main Street in El Segundo occurred sometime overnight Feb. 10-11. A thief smashed a window and took thousands of dollars worth of computer equipment and a plasma television, police said.

But the thief left behind the cord and police learned that only one business in Commerce sells them. Detectives contacted the business and asked to be notified if anyone called asking to buy a cord, Krumbach said.

Police were watching Friday when the man showed up. He had told employees he did not want to leave a credit card number or address, but would pick the cord up himself, Krumbach said.

After he conducted business in the store, detectives followed him to a house in the 3100 block of Roberts Avenue in Culver City.

Detectives served a search warrant at the house, finding 34 computer towers, 22 laptops, 29 monitors, projectors, keyboards, scanners, mountain bikes and power tools, Krumbach said.

"Some is packaged like it was stolen off of a rack," the lieutenant said. "We think that he has been selling it on some kind of an auction thing or through the newspaper."

Arnold was arrested on suspicion of burglary and receiving stolen property and booked at the El Segundo jail.

Arnold's girlfriend, Ellen Michelle Parrish, 19, of Santa Monica also was arrested on suspicion of burglary.

El Segundo investigators have contacted other police agencies as they work to find victims of commercial and residential burglaries