Arrest made in copper thefts, burglary

Four people have been charged in connection with theft of AT&T copper cable, according to Marshall County sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

He said an eye witness had noticed something suspicious in the 2400 block of Highway 178 west of the Marshall Steakhouse April 18, between 7 a.m. And 8 a.m.

A white Chevy pickup was seen parked on the south side of the highway and across the highway, two white males were observed acting as if they were working on phone lines and hanging around boxes and utility poles, Dickerson said. Later the persons had moved to another pole and box and then the witness saw them a third time. The witness reported

seeing a black male in the right front passenger seat of the pickup and a white male in the driver’s seat wearing a white visor and white T-shirt, he said. A white male was also seen in the back seat of the pickup.

The witness took down the registration tag and reported it to Sheriff’s investigators who put out a BOLO on the pickup and tag, Dickerson said.

Around 12:27 p.m. A 911 call from an AT&T technician reported about 350 feet of cable had been stolen from that location from the utility pole.

“At the same time agent Kelley Autry pulled over a white extended cab pickup in the area of Highway 178 and Bertha Road and observed what appeared to be missing cable as described by Maj. Kelly McMillen,” the sheriff said.

Autry was soon joined by Lt. Erik Knox and a two and a half inch diameter aerial cable was seen inside the truck bed.

Jeffrey Schooling, 44, of the Lake Center area was arrested and charged with one count grand larceny and bonded out, the sheriff said.

Following the arrest of Schooling, the investigation continued and as a result three additional suspects were identified: Jimmy Miller, 34, of Meadow View Circle, Victoria; Gary Barnes, 57, of Ripley; and Nathan Simonetti, 30, of Dockery Drive, Byhalia. Warrants were issued for their arrests.

Knox coordinated a mission that included investigator Perry Pipkin and deputy Charles Peters, who went to Miller’s residence in the 300 block of Meadow View Circle. Knox said he saw multiple lines of stripped cable and a burn pit and arrested Miller.

Miller was charged with grand larceny and conspiracy to commit wire theft, Knox said.

Knox said Simonetti drove Miller to Alter Trading in Byhalia and Miller sold 169 pounds of melted down copper to the recycling business.

He said Miller confirmed that Simonetti, Barnes and Schooling were involved in the theft.

Simonetti and Barnes are still at large, Knox said.

A second report of 350 feet of cable stolen from North Red Banks Road was made but no suspects have been identified in that theft, the sheriff said.

Meanwhile, a detective in Collierville reported incidents of stolen AT&T cable on Holmes Road, Dickerson said.

Burglary on Turner Cove

A burglary of a pressure washer from a garage in the 200 block of Turner Cove was reported April 24 around 1:24 p.m., Dickerson said. A suspect identified as

Terrance Antonio Davis Jr., 22, of Turner Cove has been arrested and charged with one count commercial burglary, Dickerson said.