OLD HICKORY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Metro Nashville police arrested a long-time criminal on Sunday accused of cutting copper from a cell tower in Old Hickory.
A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, told News 2 that the facility is wide open to anyone who wants to enter, and they are calling for more security.
The site is located at the end of Legion Drive in Old Hickory.
RELATED: Man charged with attempted copper wire theft from cell tower in Old Hickory
Anyone can drive into the facility. It is only when arriving at the cell towers that there are signs saying to “Keep Out.”
A neighbor who witnessed police arrest the alleged copper thief Sunday evening said, “I saw the vehicle go down. It was late at night.”
According to the arrest affidavit, residents saw a suspicious truck drive onto this property on Sunday night, and they called Metro police.
“They actually responded very quickly this time, but they caught him just as he was trying to come out of the gate,” the 15-year resident said.
According to the arrest affidavit, the Metro Nashville police officer caught 41-year-old Michael Grimes with a pickup truck full of copper wires, electrical equipment and bolt cutters.
Residents said there is no security, gates or locks at the substation, and people come and go at all times of the day.
“But there’s a constant flow of cars that come down this dead-end street,” the resident said. “Something needs to be done. Gates need to be put back up. People with no reason to be on this street come and go to this sensitive area at all hours of the day. There’s kids who go back there. They have no business back there. I want gates put up to keep people out of there. If they can’t get through, there’s no reason for them to stay here.”
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Grimes has a lengthy criminal history that dates back decades.
In this case, he’s in jail, charged with theft, burglary and vandalism.
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