West Virginia man accused of taking copper wire from interstate lights
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia man has been charged in connection with the theft of copper wire from interstate lights and selling it.
Clarence Wayne Giles, 31, of the Charleston area, was charged with grand larceny, receiving or transferring stolen goods and other charges and was being held on $5,000 bond, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office said Monday.
Giles is accused of selling the copper for about $16,000. Chief Deputy Joe Crawford of the sheriff's office said it cost about $1.5 million to repair the damage and restore the equipment, news outlets reported.
The case included lights on Interstate 77 in the Edens Fork area and in the Charleston and South Charleston areas.
It wasn't clear whether Giles was represented by a lawyer who could comment on the case.