A 46-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft after using a homemade fishing device to steal syringes and medications from a medical waste disposal box, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.

The boxes, part of Operation Medicine Cabinet, are part of a program that allows residents to drop off unwanted medications and supplies. The suspect was arrested just after midnight Sunday when he was trying to remove items from a box in front of Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coastal Station in Carpinteria, according to the department.

The man was using a cord to drop a fishing hook into the box to pull out syringes, medications and other items inside the cabinet, authorities said. Deputies seized the homemade device and arrested the man on suspicion of possession of stolen property, petty theft, possession of burglary tools, prowling and possession of controlled substances.