Twelve cables — each weighing about 30 pounds — with a total estimated value of $750 were recovered from the scene at Kaomi Loop, near Campbell Industrial Park, Wednesday morning.

Police officers displayed the cables at a press conference held today at the Kapolei police headquarters.

At about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Lt. Daniel Ford was on his way to a dedication ceremony for the City and County of Honolulu's new corporate yard in Campbell Industrial Park when he saw a man loading a 2001 Kia Sportage with rubber encased copper wire cables.

"Inside the car was already several (cable) coils and then (the suspect) rounded the corner carrying one," Ford said.

"He saw me and dropped it and ran. He was running up toward his friend, the friend was hauling cable, and he dropped that and ran."

Assisted by an HPD helicopter that had been dispatched for the nearby dedication ceremony, Ford chased the men down the beach walk in the sand but was unable to catch them.

Two days later, police have received no reports tied to the apparent theft. Ford said police may not investigate the matter until the copper wire is identified by its owner.

Also, a sandy beige SUV left at the scene has yet to be claimed.

Ford said that with several construction sites in the Kapolei area police have yet to identify where the cable came from. Moreover, he said, copper wire theft is a growing problem in the area and across the state.

"This is getting to be almost every week, sometimes every day," Ford said.