AZ:Mesa copper theft suspect points out second suspect
An accused copper thief ratted out an alleged accomplice while riding to jail in the back of a police car, Mesa police said Monday.
Officers received a report of a burglary in progress at a Salt River Project electrical box in the 1200 block of East Southern Avenue about 5:30 a.m. Saturday. When they arrived, they found 26-year-old Jeffrey Guerinot standing the SRP box, according to court documents.
Police say Guerinot was wearing gloves, and officers found several bags of tools and a pry bar near him. Six copper wires, about 1 inch thick by 3 feet long, were already cut from inside the power box, records state.
While police were transporting Guerinot, he told them there was another man hiding back at the scene.
After returning, police say they found Jared Edwards hiding behind a dumpster. A separate set of tools and gloves were also discovered near Edwards, and police say a footprint found on the ground inside a power box matched that of Edwards' shoe.
Edwards admitted to being inside the box, but told police he was just looking around, records state. He also denied knowing Guerinot or breaking into any of the boxes.
Both suspects were charged with burglary and possession of burglary tools. Edwards had a warrant for a parole violation at the time of the incident.
Copper thefts have been on the rise for the last several years.
The price of copper is at an all-time high, bringing as much as $2 a pound on the scrap market, and lights along streets, freeways and city parks have been hit repeatedly by thieves. Police say it's a tough crime to combat unless someone is caught in the act.
