The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office has issued charges against a dozen people who have been suspected of stealing copper wires from tower sites and selling them to scrap yards across Western North Carolina. The thefts totaled $331,000 in value, according to Detective Sgt. Christopher Stockton, who led the investigation. As of March 30, 169 criminal charges have been filed in relation to the alleged thefts, Public Information Officer Aaron Sarver said.
Detectives with multiple units across several counties, Buncombe, McDowell and Mitchell, had been working on the warrants for the past several weeks for the group, primarily from Candler, NC. In one instance, arrest warrants describe three suspects working together to “steal over 900 feet of copper wiring, valued at over $5,000, belonging to AT&T.”
The following individuals have been charged by the Sheriff’s Office:
Nathaniel Bruce Styles, Amanda Bailey, Samuel Mortier, Michael Ingle, Carahlynn Thomas, Kendra Mae Akins, Brandon Wilson, Bryan McAninch, Edward Hoglen, Thomas Pitts, Tommy Akins, and Danny Akins Jr.
Atkins faces additional charges not related to the copper wire theft. Anyone with information on where Danny Atkins Jr. or Tommy Akins may be, please call the Sheriff’s Office at 828-250-6670.
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