At least 11 arrests since October

BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

DEBORD — Police arrested a man for copper theft last week in a traffic stop on Route 3 and Sawmill Hollow.

An employee at Booth Energy called law enforcement shortly after 1 p.m. to alert them that a man was taking copper wire from the mine site in Debord and bringing it out of Sawmill Hollow on a blue side-by-side.

Martin County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Chris Kidd located a 60-year-old Mark Porter of Debord on a side-by-side matching the description at the mouth of Sawmill Hollow.

“He stated immediately that he had dumped the wire ‘at the building,’” Kidd said. “He agreed to take us to a location on the mine site and show us where he had dumped it.”

Porter directed the officers to a tin building near the coal tipple at Booth Energy, where they found the wire.

Booth Energy employees identified the copper wiring as belonging to the coal company.

“They also identified Porter as the man they saw putting the wire on the side-by-side trying to steal,” stated Kidd.

Porter told police that he got the wiring from a beltline.

“He said the copper wiring was in some conduit that was running alongside a beltline, and that’s where he had taken it from,” added Kidd. “He said he thought it was ‘junk,’ but he agreed that it didn’t belong to him.”

Kidd arrested Porter and charged him with theft by unlawful taking over $1,000, all-terrain vehicle violations, operating on a suspended operator’s license and no insurance.

Since October, Kidd has arrested at least 11 suspected copper thieves in Martin County.