FAIRFIELD, Maine — A sharp-eyed neighbor helped police to catch a reported copper thief red-handed on Saturday.
The neighbor spotted a pile of copper pipe lying on a snowbank on Park Street and called police about 8:30 a.m., according to Officer Paul St. Amand. The pipe apparently had been stolen from a vacant house at the corner of Elm and Park streets.
He called an off-duty officer to the scene to run surveillance, waiting for someone to come pick up the piping and sell it at the scrapyard, which closed at noon. Police had considered just returning the pipe to the owner of the house, but decided that the chance of nabbing a thief was too good to pass up, St. Amand said.
At 11:30 a.m., two men pulled up in a pickup truck and started loading the pipe, he said. When they were half-done, police took them into custody.
William McLain, Jr., 29, of Fairfield was arrested and charged with burglary and aggravated criminal mischief, both of which are felonies.
Bruce Lee, Jr., 42, of Clinton was charged with theft, as he was involved only in picking up the piping, according to the officer.
Both men are scheduled to make their first court appearances on the matter in March.
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I don’t understand your comment???? Sounds like your saying the neighbor is also a thief…..I’d like to hear more.
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Apology not necessary, oleyane. I understood exactly what you meant. One only has to read the entire article to “get it.”
BTW-I couldn’t agree more.
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Good call!
Nice, about $10,000 in damage by the time you hire someone to put it all back right and buy supplies. These two will get a fine and a slap on the wrist.
Attention District Attorney: All theives need to pay back for all thefts plus damages in full, ASAP.
This will help deter thefts and damages along with jail time.
Why didn’t Bruce Lee use his fists of fury?
I just don’t get it !
How come the junk yards ( the ONLY place this copper go to) aren’t arrested for accepting stolen property ???
Please tell me you don’t vote.
Hmmm, let’s see…Tea Party?
Isn’t that the law? Receiving stolen property is a crime, right? How much copper is just laying around – ever see an add in the Uncle henrys -Free for the taking, all the copper in my house, just come get it…. It simple, if you dont support this bill, you must be stealing the copper. Its that simple. If it came from property YOU own, i’m sure you wont have any problems recycling.
To borrow Tom’s comment, “Please tell me you don’t vote.” You really need to take some classes in reading comprehension, paycheck. I’d suggest you do it now, before our illustrious governor closes all the schools.
How do you imagine a junkyard knows where the copper comes from? I redid my plumbing in the past year and brought copper and brass piping in to recycle. You have to set an account before they pay you. My neighbor does clean-up for a lot of contractors, he recycles almost every day in large quantities. How would the recyclers know that he is legit and someone else is not. If you buy something at a yard sale that was stolen, should you be thrown in jail?
Technically speaking , wouldn’t a copper thief have to be caught “green-handed?” Hope you boys will be banging the “tin” cup on the “iron” bars for a while. Cu later.
Minimum fine because they don’t work. Set up on a payment plan. Too busy to chase after them if they don’t pay there payments.
Probation, but probable already on probation. Will not have to go to jail because it cost too much to house a prisoner.
Crooks go back to stealing and laugh all the way to the bar.
Come visit my house and meet my friends, Smith and Wesson.
This story is one more example of why I have a bill under consideration in the Legislature that would provide a better chain of evidence and increase the penalties both for thieves and scrap metal dealers who knowingly accept stolen scrap metal. Let your Legislators know that you support bolstering the laws already in effect to cope with these crimes which have now reached epidemic proportions.
Oh joy. More nanny state laws!
If you have proof that the scrap metal dealers are ” knowingly accept stolen scrap metal” then just turn them in. The laws on the books are enough. Everyone is bringing scrap in, there is no way to tell who might have stolen some. How much is your bill going to costs businesses? Where is the money coming from, the schools?
typical dem attack…. THERE TAKING MONEY FROM OUR SCHOOLS!!! There couldnt be any waste in the MDOT, or DHHS…. No couldnt possibly be, they MUST be taking it from our schools!! come on man, get a clue….. The MDOT spent $45,000 to replace a single utility pole, rather than widen the pavement 2′ to a campground entrance(approx. $600)… thats your State government for ya. But you wern’t worried about that money coming from your local school? why not? Is it because you make a living stealing from people while they are at work and this bill might cut your business? As someone who has had their home STRIPPED of all copper, i support this bill. Thank you Mr. Longstaff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVkZZsS-66c