Brundidge investigates string of utility department thefts
Published 10:03 pm Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Brundidge law enforcement officers have identified at least one suspect in a string of burglaries targeting city utilities.
“Arrests are imminent,” Chief of Police Moses Davenport said late Tuesday afternoon.
“They’re right around the corner.”
Davenport said one suspect had been identified and more would like likely be named.
“We think there’s more people involved,” he said.
Davenport would not release the names of any suspects.
“We did have a couple of burglaries,” Davenport explained.
“The first report was in March, but since then we’ve had two others. The latest report was May 28.”
All three reports involved the theft of copper wire stored at an airport warehouse.
“The material value was several thousand dollars,” Davenport said.
Brundidge investigators made the connection to the suspect after finding out where the wire was being sold.
“We got word that at least some of it was being sold in Mobile,” Davenport said.
Word came from ASM Recycling Inc.
“The recycling company got suspicious,” Davenport said.
After Brundidge authorities coordinated with the recycling plant they were able to identify the wire as city property.
Davenport said the city was able to recover a portion of the copper but some of it may have already been processed by ASM.
The city will seek restitution to recover the value of what was lost.
Davenport said the case is still under investigation.