Two Oklahoma men were arrested early Thursday when authorities spotted them during an apparent attempt to collect spools of copper wiring that had been stolen a day earlier.
Wednesday morning, Cowley County Sheriff deputies had been called to 1000 block of 272nd Rd. in response to a report of stolen copper wiring. The stolen material included two 1,000-feet rolls of number-two, quarter-inch wiring.
Later in the day, an oilfield pumper contacted authorities to say that two large spools of copper wiring and been found about a half-mile east of where the initial report of stolen property had been made.
It appeared the wiring had been left behind so that someone could return to pick it up.
Undersheriff Bill Mueller and Det. Bruce Hafenstein organized a surveillance operation, and, just before 3 a.m. this morning, a vehicle approached the location. The suspects entered the location through a locked gate.
Other deputies were called to the scene as Mueller followed the suspects’ vehicle. A felony traffic stop took place at 11th Rd. and U.S. 166 highway.
Timothy Blake Weaver, 29, Dell City, Okla., and Anthony David Clay, 25, Oklahoma City, were arrested and face numerous charges, including burglary, theft, criminal damage to property and trespassing.
A third suspect is expected to be charged in connection with the incident.
Some of the wiring has been recovered.
Sheriff Don Read said the investigation is continuing and authorities are trying to determine whether this theft could be connected to a copper wiring theft that recent occurred at Lafarge Sand and Gravel near Oxford.
“Certainly it is possible,” he said. “But do we know that for sure at this point, no.”
A search of the vehicle was scheduled for later Thursday.
Bond for Weaver has been set at $23,500 and bond for Clay is $20,500.
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