AROUND THE VALLEY.

Thieves steal more metal from school

NORTHRIDGE -- Thieves made off with copper pipes and brass fittings from a Northridge middle school over the weekend, the second such heist from a Los Angeles Unified School District campus in a month.

Repair crews assembled temporary lines to restore drinking water and toilets at Noble Middle School by early Monday afternoon, said LAUSD spokeswoman Ellen Morgan.

Similar thefts have occurred at other district schools, including last month at El Sereno Elementary School in Los Angeles.

Copper and brass are considered valuable metals, worth more than $3 a pound.

School officials believe the theft took place between Saturday and Monday morning. Items stolen were a combination of copper and brass pipe and fittings.

Complete replacement of the pipes is expected within a week, depending on the availability of the materials, Morgan said.

4,000 gallons of diesel stolen

BURBANK -- Someone -- probably with a fuel tanker truck at their disposal -- drove off with 4,000 gallons of stolen diesel fuel from a gas station, police reported Monday.

The fuel was stolen early Friday while the Exxon gas station at 2417 N. San Fernando Road was closed, said Lt. Armen Dermenjian of the Burbank Police Department.

"Due to the quantity of the fuel stolen, we believe a fuel tanker truck was used," Dermenjian said.

Anyone with information about the fuel heist is asked to call 818-238-3210.

-- Staff and Wire Services