Arrest made for copper theft

— Troy Dill, 51, of Decatur, was arrested May 26 for allegedly stealing copper wire from telephone poles.

The Decatur Police Department received a tip that Dill had been cutting copper wire off telephone poles in the Old City Park, as well as the areas of Grant Street and Charlie Street, Police Chief Terry Luker said.

Officer Chuck Eggebrecht was on patrol when he noticed Dill in the Old City Park carrying a plastic grocery sack full of wire on Thursday. Steve Hall was also with Dill in the park.

In addition to taking wire from telephone poles, Dill is accused of taking wire from the electrical system inside the barbecue pit building in the Old City Park.

Receipts from Siloam Springs Iron and Metal showed Dill had been selling 5 to 20 pounds of copper a week for the past month, Luker said.

“Dill confessed to the copper theft,” Luker said.

On Friday Dill was being held in the Benton County Jail on misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief with damages less than $500 and theft of recyclable material. A bond had yet to be set. Hulls could also face criminal charges for the thefts, Luker said.

News, Pages 1 on 06/01/2011