Nov. 10, 2016 – The Sheriff’s Office investigated a theft of scrap metal complaint that resulted in five subjects being detained after a traffic stop on Monday, Nov. 7 at 9:46 a.m. The incident began when a concerned citizen reported a blue minivan, occupied by numerous individuals, parked at an unoccupied residence in the 2800 block of Ridge Road in the Town of Barton.
As the caller was on the phone with dispatchers, several of the occupants were rapidly loading scrap wire into the minivan.
Responding deputies were aware of a similar theft, at the same residence, just days before this one.
Deputies located the suspect vehicle after the most recent theft and stopped it in the area of Salisbury Road and Newark Drive. Prior to making the traffic stop, the deputy observed the vehicle was occupied with five subjects and a large amount of wire could be seen through the back window.
About 1,100 pounds of scrap wire were located in the van along with heroin paraphernalia.
Three of the occupants were arrested for misdemeanor theft; a 32-year-old Town of Farmington man, a 37-year-old Campbellsport woman and a 25-year-old City of West Bend man.
A 50-year-old City of West Bend man was arrested on a probation hold, and a 15-year-old City of West Bend male juvenile was returned to his home.
The scrap value of the wire is estimated at $750.