SC Suspects Arrested in Elbert County Power Line Thefts
By David Stephens, WSGC Radio, Elberton
In Elbert County, a unique style of stealing copper wire backfires on four South Carolina suspects.
According to Elbert County Sheriff’s Investigator Darren Scarborough, dispatchers received a report last Tuesday morning that four people were seen loading material into a truck off of Calhoun Falls Highway.
Scarborough said deputies went out to the scene and brought the four in for questioning.
While talking to the suspects, he said Elberton City employees found some stolen items and equipment.
Roughly two thousand feet of neutral line had been snipped and stolen from power lines in the area, according to the Sheriff’s office.
Arrested were Melissa Smith, Terry Allen, Marty Vaughn, and Sandie Vaughn; all are from the Iva-Belton, South Carolina area.
All four are charged with one count each of Criminal Trespass, Misdemeanor Theft by Taking, Felony Theft by Taking, and Possession of Tools during the Commission of a Crime.