WILLIAMSON COUNTY/JOHNSON COUNTY – Four people have been arrested in connection to criminal activity related to the theft and criminal damage to public utilities and the copper wire it contains.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office says this has been going on for the past several months where suspects in these cases have damaged public utilities by climbing, or in many cases, cutting down utility poles for the purpose of stealing copper wire. In some cases these thefts involve stealing up to a third of a mile of wire from the tops of utility poles.
This activity has resulted in service outages to customers and damages to the utility infrastructure collectively in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars in Williamson County.
These thefts are not an isolated concern. Counties throughout our area and across the country have experienced an increase in these types of criminal activities.
In response, more than a month ago, the sheriff’s office in Williamson and Johnson County began an extensive collaboration directed at these cases which were happening along the Williamson/Johnson county line.
These efforts have included a targeted jurisdictional arrangement, increased saturation patrols, and the deployment of multiple forms of technology designed to aid in the identification and apprehension of those responsible.
Two people were recently arrested for wire theft on Wolf Creek Road and Old Route 13 in the Carterville area.
Loran W. Robison was cited for Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies – Improper Lighting, Improper Lighting – No Taillights, Improper Lane Usage and Operating Uninsured Vehicle.
Rusty A. Leeper was cited for Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies.
Both men were taken to the Williamson County Jail.
During the early morning hours Friday, deputies utilizing court authorized GPS tracking devices saw a wire theft in progress.
Robison and Leeper were seen by means of physical and electronic surveillance in the commission of criminal damage to public utilities and the theft of approximately 800 feet of communication wire near Old Route 13 and Wolf Creek Road.
The ability to identify the suspect vehicle and electronically observe it originated from intelligence gathered by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office more than a month ago.
The suspects having completed the theft departed the area and were subsequently stopped by deputies.
The truck, occupied by Leeper and Robison, had a truck bed full of stolen wire. Deputies also observed linemen climbing equipment in the rear seat of the pickup truck.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office has taken multiple reports for theft and criminal damage to property in the area of Lake of Egypt Road near Power Plant Road. During this time the sheriff’s office deployed cellular based cameras in an attempt to identify suspects.
On Sept. 19, a cellular camera was discovered stolen by a male, later identified as Robison. Robison was cited for theft of state supported property, a class 2 Felony.
Robison has additionally been charged with the following:
Lake Of Egypt Road/Power Plant Road Wire Theft Which Occurred on Aug. 24
Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies
Illinois Route 37/Eagle Point Bay Road Wire Theft Which Occurred on Aug. 27
Possession Of Stolen Property, Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – all Class 2 felonies (Referred to Johnson County)
Lake Of Egypt Road/Power Plant Road Wire Theft Which Occurred on Sept. 7
Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies
Illinois Route 37/Maneese Lane Wire Theft Which Occurred on Sept. 14
Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies
Lake Of Egypt Road/Power Plant Road Wire Theft Which Occurred on Sept. 27
Theft ($10,000 – $100,000) and Criminal Damage To Property – both Class 2 felonies
In another wire theft investigation of similar circumstances investigators discovered the following:
Stotlar Road East Of Bandyville Road Wire Theft Which Occurred On Sept. 29.
The sheriff’s office has taken three reports for theft and criminal damage to property on Stotlar Road east of Bandyville Road.
During the investigation it was determined Jerri L. Stirizel and Steven G. Litton sold stolen copper wire from this location.
Stritzel and Litton were arrested and cited with possession of stolen property and taken to the Williamson County Jail.
Law enforcement is aware of numerous additional wire thefts and is continuing to investigate. Additional arrests are anticipated and this remains an ongoing investigation.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Marion Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police Crime Lab, and Williamson County State’s Attorney Ted Hampson for their assistance and collaboration in this matter.