BECKLEY – Three arrests were made Thursday and Friday after copper theft investigations by Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office detectives led them to a total of 7,977 pounds of stolen copper valued at $23,011.
The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau started an investigation Thursday into a recent surge of phone wire thefts across the county. Instances of copper thieves stealing wire off utility poles had been increasing over several months, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
Detectives were able to find evidence at Wood’s Recycling in Beaver. This discovery led to the arrest of Douglas Earl McMillion, 49, according to the sheriff’s office. McMillion has been charged with two felony counts of transferring stolen property. He had been paid $2,875 for 991 pounds of copper. McMillion was being held Friday at the Southern Regional Jail on a $50,000 cash or surety bond, according to the West Virginia Regional Jail Authority.
A second arrest involving copper thefts was made when detectives recovered other evidence at Wood’s Recycling leading to Charles Robert Stanley, 54, who was charged with multiple felonies. He was being held Friday at the Southern Regional Jail on a $300,000 cash or surety bond.
These felonies included 10 counts of transferring stolen property along with four misdemeanor charges of transferring stolen property, according to the sheriff’s office. Stanley is currently on federal probation.
The total amount of copper recovered in Stanley’s case is 6,986 pounds worth $20,136. Frontier Communications was victim in this case.
Sheriff Frank Priddy announced Friday afternoon that the owner of Wood’s Recycling, Lewis Richmond, had been arrested and charged with 17 felony counts of receiving stolen property.
Priddy and Chief Deputy Frankie Shelton commended the detective bureau and Cpl. R. McDaniel for their outstanding work and the long hours hours spent on their investigations.