Man accused of theft of wire from railroad

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by Tess Wolfe

Reporter

Munroe Falls -- A 32-year-old Stow man has been charged by Munroe Falls Police with the theft of more than 900 feet of copper wire from a CSX railroad track. The man was arrested April 18 at 9:20 a.m. after turning himself in at the Munroe Falls Police Department.

According to a police report, officers had contacted the man prior to his turning himself in.

A man was observed March 21 near the CSX rail track in the vicinity of the South River Road and North Munroe Road intersection.

An employee of the Cuyahoga Falls Electric Department reported he witnessed a man standing near a tan pickup truck with a coil of wire in the back of the truck.

According to a police report, the witness said he noticed the man, who was wearing work boots and a construction-style jacket, as he was driving along South River Road.

The report states the suspect and vehicle were gone when police arrived. Munroe Falls police then alerted Tallmadge Police of the theft because the rail track leads to Tallmadge, which borders Munroe Falls to the south, Police Chief Scott Bellinger said.

Police at the scene discovered a railroad power line running along the tracks was lying on the ground, with approximately 900 feet of wire missing, according to the report.

The copper wire, valued at $295, has not been recovered. The stolen wire has not interfered with the functioning of the track, said Bellinger.

The man is scheduled to appear in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court. Bellinger said the penalty for the first-degree misdemeanor crime is up to six months in jail with a maximum fine of $1,000.

E-mail: twolfe@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3916