TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Men Arrested For Copper Thefts At Wesley Chapel Electric Substation

ADVERTISEMENT

By LISA A. DAVIS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

  Timothy Davis

  Jason Lanier

WESLEY CHAPEL - Two men were arrested this week, accused of stealing more than $11,600 worth of copper wire from a Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative New River substation in August.

Timothy Andrew Davis, of 30404 Lynne Drive, already in jail on unrelated drug and grand theft auto charges, is now facing a new charge of grand theft.

Pasco deputies say Davis, Jason Gregory Lanier, 27, and a third man who hasn't been arrested yet, stole the 1,037 feet of copper from a secured area that houses generators and transformers sometime between Aug. 14 and Aug. 18.

In the next couple of days, according to reports, the men sold more than 1,700 pounds of copper wire to a metal recycler for about $4,500.

One of the men's neighbors called authorities when he discovered what the men had been doing and told deputies they still had the wire insulation with the copper removed.

When a detective arrived, he found the men attempting to remove the insulation but they ran away when they spotted him, a report states.

The detective found the insulation in Davis' truck and some in a burn pile.

Davis is being held at the Land O' Lakes Jail with bail set for grand theft of copper at $5,000.

Lanier, of 30353 Lynne Drive, was arrested at his home on Tuesday. He also is being held at the jail on a charge of grand theft with bail set at $5,000.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT