FOX19.com and FOX19 News, weather, traffic, and sports for Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky | Thieves steal copper from new local jail

Thieves steal copper from new local jail

By Kimberly Holmes – bio | email

COVINGTON, KY (FOX19)  - Covington police say they need to speak with the driver and passenger of a green Chevrolet pick-up truck last seen on surveillance video at the construction site of the new Kenton Co. Jail in Covington.

A Kenton County official says the truck was the last vehicle seen at the jail before $4,000 worth of copper and tools turned up missing, possibly stolen. In the video, you can see the truck drive onto the property with a water heater in the bed of the truck. About thirty minutes later, a driver in a yellow shirt takes off, but without the heater.

Covington police said it happened Halloween Eve at 4:55 p.m. at the construction site of the new jail on Decker Crane Lane. Right now, it's unclear if the driver of the truck is responsible for the theft, but at the very least, police want to talk to him or her about illegally dumping on private property.

"Folks might have thought they were on some random construction site," Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said. "Except that obviously they're going to draw a lot more attention from law enforcement when they're stealing from the government itself."

Sanders said it's an illegal move the suspects could be paying for years later perhaps right at the new Kenton Co. Jail.

"It is a felony offense," Sanders said. "Any time you get over $500 in value, the theft is punishable by 1-5 years in prison. There's no added punishment for it being a jail site or government owned-property."

if you have any information on this crime you're asked to call Crimestoppers at  513-352-3040  513-352-3040 .

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