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3 Charged In Copper Theft

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 22, 2008

TAMPA -- Police arrested three laborers on felony charges, saying they took copper wire from an electrical business and sold it for scrap.

Juan Cobix-Hernandez, Julian Garcia and Juan Mendoza-Luquin are each charged with felony grand theft from a construction site and felony dealing in stolen property, records show.

Cobix-Hernandez, 32, and Mendoza-Luquin, 18, were held at Orient Road Jail today on $1,000 bail each. Garcia, 23, was held at Orient Road Jail on $2,000 bail.

All three live at 1809 N. Armenia Ave., jail records show.

The three were working at Graybar Electric Co., 801 N. Rome Ave., on Thursday when they removed 163 pounds of copper wire without the business's consent, criminal report affidavits state.

They sold the wire for $443 and split the money, the affidavits state.

Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

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