Two more people were arrested today for attempting to steal copper wiring from an irrigation pump.

37-year-old Gary Burrows of Kerman and 36-year-old Jill Scarborough of Fresno are now behind bars for attempted grand theft and felony vandalism.

Metal thefts are not just occurring in urban areas, like here in Fresno, where most of the time, thieves are stealing copper wiring out of street lights.

These crimes are also happening in rural areas, like you see with today's arrests… where thieves attempt to steal copper wiring from agricultural irrigation pumps.

These are the crimes that are proving to be most devastating to farmers throughout the Central Valley.

It's an alarming trend: People addicted to meth, ripping off the county… and its residents.

"They steal the metal, they take it to a metal yard, they get quick cash and it feeds their habit for a day," said Fresno County Sheriff, Margaret Mims.

Mims says, meth addicts are the primary reason metal thefts in Fresno County have increased by nearly 65 percent over the last year.

But since January of 2006, metal thefts have gone up 142 percent, with an increased dollar loss of more than 300 percent.

"Whenever there's wire stolen, both from the building industry or the farmers, those costs have to be passed on… and consumers pay that cost," says Mims.

Consumers living in all communities… all across the state.

But one group taking the biggest hit are farmers right here in the central valley, like Dave Loquaci, who in the last year alone, has seen more than 30-thousand dollars worth of metal, just disappear from his farm.

"When they're stealing metal from my pump, it gets personal… I’m afraid people are going to start doing their own surveillance and I’m afraid someone is gonna get hurt," says Loquaci.

Another central valley farmer, Dave Zener:

He's had to fork out nearly 4-thousand dollars repairing pipes on his grape farm.

At 85-years-young, he says it’s just another expense he doesn't need.

Now he's hoping, action will be taken at the state level, to help combat this problem.

"I know some people around the area that’s had it done three times, pulled it out, put it back in, pulled it out, put it back in, pulled it out," says David Zener, a Fresno County grape farmer.

And politicians from throughout the state are taking notice.

They came together today in Easton, for a first ever, metal theft summit, to encourage those most affected to be patient, and that more help is on the way.

Fresno County District Attorney, Elizabeth Egan says, "Every time thieves recognize that we are after them, it reduces crime."

Farmers say, they're upset with the state, for not having metal theft legislation in place.

But politicians assure... New laws are on the way.

Click on the link to view Preston Phillips’ report.