FROM STAFF REPORTS
Two suspects face felony charges in connection with the theft of aluminum wire from a Duke Energy substation following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Daren Campbell announced the arrests of Nash Arthur Reidlinger, 38, of Sandiewood Court, Claremont, and Patrick John Lail, 26, of J and R Queen Road, Catawba, in a news release.
ICSO deputies responded to the Duke Energy substation located at 2618 Island Ford Road near Statesville for a breaking and entering and larceny on Friday, November 22.
Duke Energy employees told deputies that unknown people had cut a hole through the fence surrounding the substation and attempted to steal a large spool of aluminum wire. The spool of wire, worth about $7,500, had been pushed through the hole in the fence and was found a short distance away in a field, Campbell said.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division and crime scene Investigators also responded to the scene. Based on evidence located at the scene, detectives believed the thieves would possibly return to retrieve the large spool of wire, Campbell said.
Detectives installed surveillance equipment, including motion-activated cameras, around the area, and placed a GPS tracking device on the large spool of wire.
In the early morning hours of Monday, November 25, detectives were alerted that the surveillance equipment indicated someone was at the property, according to the news release. Detective Lieutenant Clodfelter, along with deputies from the Patrol Division, responded to the scene and located two Lail and Reidlinger, the sheriff said.
After reviewing surveillance cameras and other evidence recovered at the scene, detectives determined Lail and Reidlinger had broken into the Duke Energy facility on Friday and again on Monday to steal property.
Lail and Reidlinger were arrested and transported to the Iredell County Detention Center, where they were each charged with three counts of first-degree trespassing, felony larceny and felony possession of stolen property.
Magistrate S. Watskins issued a $25,000 bond for Lail and Reidlinger.