Arrests made in copper wire theft ring
A team of six copper wire thieves, who apparently used deer stands to reach wires hanging from AT&T telephone poles, were apprehended late last week following an extensive investigation, authorities said.
Racketeering charges were brought against Harry Reese Wilson, 24; Terry Littrell, 46; Charles Black, 39; Keith Landrum, 36; Betty Robinson, 33, and Mary Jones, 40, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
“There were several occasions where several hundred feet of hanging wire was stolen,” according to a sheriff’s office news release.
The wire was then sold to metal recyclers in the metro Atlanta area and in Cherokee, N.C., authorities said.
Police retrieved “numerous sleeves” that once held the wire, along with large wire cutters, from three locations — in Douglas, Fairburn and Union City — where search warrants were executed. The sheriff’s office said suspected methamphetamine also was recovered during the arrests.
The Fulton County Burglary and Metal Theft Task Force, Fairburn Police Department, Union City Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and AT&T corporate security assisted in the investigation.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
