Copper Thief Electrocuted

[Pudge]

MASSILLON, Ohio -- A man was electrocuted while apparently trying to steal copper from a power substation, the latest Ohioan to die while trying to take the easy-to-recycle and increasingly valuable metal, police said.

Harold Taylor, 25, was zapped Tuesday by an estimated 23,000 volts of electricity -- nearly 200 times the amount that runs through an average home, police and fire officials said.

"He probably never knew what hit him," said Harry Campbell, chief investigator at the Stark County Coroner's office. "He was dead before he hit the ground."

Police believe Taylor forced his way into the gated, locked substation.

Taylor's girlfriend, Rachel Hollar, discovered the body near a wooden ladder inside a former Republic Steel yard that is now owned by a private developer, police said.

Police have arrested others on the property for stealing scrap metal, but never inside the substation, Massillon police Sgt. J.J. DiLoreto said.

Thieves in Ohio and across the nation are increasingly turning to the highest-quality sources of copper, found at power substations, utility poles and electrical boxes, and then selling the wiring to scrap dealers.

Last month, a Hamilton man was electrocuted in Butler County while trying to take down a power line to remove and sell the copper.

Copper thefts have increased across the nation as the salvage price for the metal has quadrupled from 80 cents a pound in 2003 to around $3.24.

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/13946673/detail.html


I rank thieves right up there (or down there) with some of the worst in society. It ticks me off that we all have to bust our butts to makes ends meet and these people try the easy route. This has been an ongoing problem in our area, however we haven't seen any deaths from it.....yet.

[Ducky]

Hey, one more down! Here's hoping he's a trendsetter.

[Buttercup]

He got what he deserved.

[Willowdared]

It's a major problem around here too. We just had a local skate-rink burg'd for the scrap by a bunch of 40 something tweakers. The rink has gone out of business, and the building scheduled for demo.

There was also a rash of thefts of bronze cemetery urns.

[k-9max]

I rank thieves right up there (or down there) with some of the worst in society. It ticks me off that we all have to bust our butts to makes ends meet and these people try the easy route. This has been an ongoing problem in our area, however we haven't seen any deaths from it.....yet.

yep, aint much easier on this investigation, scoop his dumbass up, and throw him in the wagon.

i wonder if they charged the girlfriend with anything. obviously she knew what he was doing, if she knew where to find him.

i think justice was served!

[countybear]

Shocking how justice can even be served well done.

[Beans]

Oh well, one less dirt bag.

[Ostizzle]

[CTR man]

Damned freaking tweakers. I wish this would happen to them more often. Justice served. zzzzt

[Pudge]

i think justice was served!

I couldn't agree more. Wish we could say it would make a deterrent, but you know they'll just find more to steal elsewhere that isn't hooked up.

[ipso608]

[snuffy2202]

Hannibal from the A-team said it best.

"I love it when a plan comes together!"