Thu, Dec 04 2008
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Published August 09, 2007 12:43 am - Copper thieves to face charges By Donna Hales Phoenix Sports Writer Copper thieves beware — the $10,000 to $15,000 in copper cable torn down recently has Windstream Communications ready to prosecute and sue for damages.
And county prosecutors say they’re ready to file charges. “There’s just been a rash of copper cable theft, vandalism and thieves going and cutting aerial cable out in large sections,” said Bruce Greer, manager of network operations for Windstream Communications. Windstream — a telephone company that serves Wagoner, Coweta, Broken Arrow and other areas in the state — has been hit at least half a dozen times since July 3, Greer said. The most recent loss was this week. Muskogee Police Sgt. Bryan Farmer and Muskogee County Sheriff’s Investigator Faye Banks have been investigating the thefts since early July. Farmer turned in a 230-plus page investigation report to the Muskogee County District Attorney’s Office centering on five suspects — three of which are new suspects, he said. “I’m reviewing the reports and charges are imminent,” Muskogee County Assistant District Attorney Farley Ward said Wednesday afternoon. The thieves not only leave their customers without phone service but present a health risk as well. When the cable is down, there is no way to call 911 in case of an emergency, said Muskogee County Sheriff’s Investigator Faye Banks. “If someone had a fire or a heart attack — they’d have no way of dealing with it,” Banks said. Banks and Muskogee Police Sgt. Bryan Farmer are on the trail of three specific suspects. Two more people allegedly involved in the thefts were arrested recently and then released on bond. Copper is selling for more than $3 per pound, and the thieves are hawking the copper in bundles of 40-90 pounds, Banks said. The copper proceeds seem to have whet the appetite of the thieves, who recently have stolen at least three vehicles while stealing the copper, Banks said. “They are getting a lot of stuff ... specialized tools,” she said. “They go in to get the copper and then get greedy.” Muskogee Fence is missing a white, 1-ton, flatbed truck in connection with the copper thefts, she said. Someone else is missing a dark green 2001 Ford diesel truck. 
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