Posted on 03/16/2013 5:32:34 AM PDT by dennisw
DENTON COUNTY A suspected copper thief is hospitalized at Parkland Hospital after being nearly electrocuted in Denton County.
Officials with the Denton County Sheriffs Office say 24-year-old James Johnson was committing the crime on Sunday, near Aubery, when he was seriously burned.
Denton County Sheriff spokesperson Sergeant Larry Kish said Johnson was trying to steal expensive metal when he grabbed hold of a live wire. “He had been stealing copper wire. The utility pole, the wooden utility pole, had been burned to the ground, and he was in the process of removing wire from that pole.”
Investigators believe Johnson was nearly crushed when the pole fell to the ground and in his attempt to protect himself, reached out and grabbed the wire.
It was a move that Sgt. Kish said was nearly fatal. “I know in other cities there have been people that were trying to steal wire that have been electrocuted. Usually the result of that is death, so he is very fortunate to be alive.”
Kish said Johnson admitted what he had done and said he was stealing to try and support his drug habit. “He talked to investigators today. He did confess to his actions.”
Johnson is in stable condition and once released from the hospital will face charges of Arson, and Criminal Mischief.
Good thing the wire was outside, or they would charge him with smoking indoors too.
In other news parkland hospital reports finding the magic bullet on the copper thiefs gurney.
missed it by..... that much
High voltage/tension wire is not made of copper.
Trying to steal "cooper wire" from power poles is Darwin intensive.
The utility pole, the wooden utility pole, had been burned to the ground, and he was in the process of removing wire from that pole.” Investigators believe Johnson was nearly crushed when the pole fell to the ground and in his attempt to protect himself, reached out and grabbed the wire.
is it just me, or does this not make sense???
Copper Thieves should be treated with electric shock therapy. Lots of it.
Hmmm. Do detect the Hand of the Monster Control Bureau?
Ok it’s not just me. Sounds like he set fire to the pole??
that's possible... didn't think of that
Burned a preservative treated pole? Environmental criminal! I'm sure his sentence for that will dwarf the one for stealing.
Haa! I bet he gets more time for that than stealing copper!
Good to see this was posted under “current events” ;-)
if it was like the hundreds of reports that come across my desk, it was probably a copper ground wire that is stapled on the side of the pole.
Most utilities are replacing stolen copper wire with steel wire that is copper clad.
At over $3 a pound for scrap copper, there is a market.
*************
That's what I couldn't understand as to why he wanted to take the time to burn down a pole. What I've seen done is to take a ladder, an ax/snip, reached as high up the poll as they could, cut the ground wire and move on to the next pole.
Yes it was an electrifying development!!! And a stab at a Darwin award.
Curiously, when police arrested him they found that he’d already been charged ;-)
I’ve run out of (comic) material
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