Police arrest man tied to string of bronze plaque thefts in Orange County

Police arrested a Long Beach man allegedly tied to a string of bronze plaque thefts in several Orange County cities.   

The Orange County District Attorney's Office has charged the suspect, Sean Paul Green, with 10 counts of grand theft and 10 counts of felony vandalism. He pleaded not guilty. He's being held on a $100,000 bail. Green's arraignment is scheduled for March 4. 

The Orange Police Department apprehended Green after he allegedly stole multiple bronze plaques from several locations in the city, including Old Towne Orange, on Jan. 20. 

Investigators said they reviewed surveillance systems to identify Green as a suspect. Orange PD said detectives linked him to more bronze plaque thefts in Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and Tustin. 

Detectives located Green at this home and booked him into the Orange County Jail on Feb. 5. 

"The bronze theft problem is a growing concern in the Southern California area and we ask members of the community to report suspicious activity when they see it," Orange PD wrote in a Facebook post.

After a push from Southern California lawmakers in October 2025, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 476, which mandated junk dealers and recyclers to collect detailed records of people selling precious metals and lawful ownership. It also expanded restrictions on the possession of scrap metal and increased penalties for those who stole copper wire.