was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for multiple cases, police said.

Multiple cases not charges. You think the people who steal metal do it once? You could be right and it's a complete overreaction. It could also be that this guy was habitual offender and they got him for something more like 1 year each on 15 cases. The story really doesn't tell you.

Edit:

Alerete was in custody after an arrest on February 1, for a probation violation, burglary, kidnapping and criminal damage to property unrelated to the theft of the statue, according to online jail records.

was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for multiple cases, police said.

Multiple cases not charges. You think the people who steal metal do it once? You could be right and it's a complete overreaction. It could also be that this guy was habitual offender and they got him for something more like 1 year each on 15 cases. The story really doesn't tell you.