Police: Somerset man stole 400 feet of copper wire, faces felony charges

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Confluence man is facing felony charges after allegedly stealing copper communications wire.

Teddy Mitchell III, 30, was charged after police were called to Water Street on reports of stolen Verizon communication wire. Police determined that on Jan. 26, 400 feet of 600 pair copper communications wire valued at over $5,000 was stolen, the criminal complaint reads.

As a result of the theft, internet and phone access to residents in Confluence and beyond had been cut off. The cable spanned the Casselman River from Water Street to Reynolds Street.

Police were able to obtain surveillance video, which showed a pickup truck pulling the wire on the ground behind it, sending sparks onto the roadway, according to the complaint.

Mitchell was allegedly seen at his residence later that day with pieces of the wire. He told neighbors that he had “found the wire, cut it up and was going to scrap it,” police noted in the charges.

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During a phone call, Mitchell allegedly admitted that he took the wire, hooked it to the back of his truck, drug it up to a radio tower and then proceeded to cut it into multiple sections so he could scrap it for cash.

Mitchell is now facing a felony charge of receiving stolen property, a felony charge of criminal mischief – damage to property and two related summary offences. He is currently out of prison on $25,000 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 29.

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