Crime
$3,000 Reward Paid in Copper Theft
A Georgia electric cooperative has paid its first $3,000 reward in a copper theft case.
The arrow points to ground wire cut by thieves inside a Georgia Transmission substation, one of several instances of copper theft the co-op has seen. (Photo By: Georgia Transmission)
Georgia Transmission Corporation gave the award to a couple from Soperton, Ga., a small community roughly midway between Macon and Savannah.
“They were working in the yard and saw a couple of individuals use a deer stand climber to get grounds off of a pole,” Lee Swann, an investigator for Tucker-based Georgia Transmission, said of the January incident. Sensing something was wrong, the couple called the sheriff’s office, which came out to investigate.
“They were stealing the number-six copper ground wire that runs on the side of the poles,” Swann told ECT.coop. They “climbed as high as possible,” taking the staples off of the pole to get to the copper, he said, adding that they worked their way from one pole to the next.
The poles belong to Altamaha EMC, headquartered in Lyons, Ga., one of 39 co-ops in the state receiving power from Georgia Transmission.
Tammye Vaughn, manager of marketing and communications at Altamaha EMC, said the suspects, Gordon Herndon and Eric Herndon—both of whom have prior criminal records—reached plea deals. Each was sentenced to 12 months in jail and ordered to reimburse the co-op for damages.
As 2011 nears a close, Swann said Georgia Transmission has seen 129 cases of copper theft, compared to 70 in 2010. Each incident costs between $4,000 and $6,000, which includes not only the stolen copper, but also related damages and repair costs.
“Since we started keeping statistics of losses in 2007, this year is the highest rate we’ve had,” said Swann, who spent 25 years with the DeKalb County Police.
He added that despite falling copper prices of late, law enforcement officials believe copper theft cases will continue to rise because of the poor economy.
Earlier this year, a consortium of the state’s utilities, including Georgia Transmission, increased the maximum reward for an arrest and conviction in a metal theft incident from $500 to $3,000.
“We’re pleased to be able to reward their willingness to report what they saw,” said Jerry Donovan, Georgia Transmission senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Swann was particularly grateful to the couple for “taking a stand and called the sheriff’s department.”
“Their calling and being good witnesses made the case.”
Tags: Copper Theft, Crime