Copper wire thefts total $17,000

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December 8, 2010

2 brothers charged; third man arrested in one of 3 thefts

Jeff Waters Suwannee Democrat The Suwannee Democrat Wed Dec 08, 2010, 04:38 PM EST

Live Oak — Two brothers, one from Live Oak, the other from Mayo, were charged with stealing more than $17,000 in copper wire from irrigation systems in the Dowling Park area in three separate incidents, Suwannee County Jail records show. A third man was charged in one of the three thefts.

Arrested were Ricky Lee Coogle, 19, of 1102 Duval Street NE; James Edward Skinner, 27, 208 Weaver Street and Joshua Eugene Skinner, 24, 1385 Baltic Road, Mayo.

Suwannee County Sheriff Tony Cameron said that the theft of copper from irrigation systems is widespread in the county and expects more arrests.

According to jail records, James Skinner and Joshua Skinner, who are brothers, confessed to the crimes. Reports indicate the pair admitted “taking the copper wire from two irrigation systems in Suwannee County. Both systems were in the Dowling Park area and after the insulation was burned from the wire it was sold in Lake City” at Sapps Salvage. The thefts occurred sometime between Oct. 1 and Nov. 20. The value of the copper wire from one of the systems was about $3,100 while the value of the copper from the other was about $9,000. The wire was reportedly sold on Oct. 9 and Nov. 20.

A probable cause affidavit shows that Coogle admitted “cutting the copper wire off of an irrigation system near Dowling Park” sometime between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30. Coogle, along with both Skinners, took the copper, burned the insulation off and sold the wire for about $379. Coogle reportedly told sheriff’s deputies that he received $150 from the sale of the stolen copper wire. The report states that the value of the copper stolen was about $5,780.

Coogle, arrested Dec. 2, was charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property. The Skinners were arrested on Dec. 3 and each charged with two counts of grand theft and two counts of dealing in stolen property.

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