Attempt to sell copper wire leads to arrests

June 11, 2008 09:29 pm

Attempt to sell copper wire leads to arrests

By Rich Flowers

If there was a rule book for criminals, it would surely include the following:

“Never return to the scene of a crime ... especially when you’re trying to sell someone’s items back to them.”

According to Athens Police Department reports, two men tried to do just that at Prengler Iron and Metal Tuesday. Now they’re in jail.

Athens Police Lt. Bill Gurley said Arthuro Delfino Resindes, 28, and Juan Cisnero Flores, 44, were in the Henderson County Jail Wednesday charged with theft of copper wire or cable. Police say the men were arrested at Prengler Tuesday after trying to sell stolen copper wire to the business.

Total bond was set at $4,000 on Flores and $2,000 on Resindes.

According to police reports, APD received a call from Prengler at 2:41 p.m. regarding two men who had entered the business with copper, some of which looked used. The strands of copper appeared to have had the insulation burned off. The men also had a significant amount of copper conduit that appeared to be new, Gurley said.

Officer Lorenzo Carranza responded to the location on U.S. Highway 175. A short time later, Carranza located the suspects. When Carranza began to question the two men, Flores identified himself by using a false name, Gurley said.

Carranza transported the men to APD where they were interviewed by Detective Corporal James Bonnette and Detective Greg Hill. During the course of the questioning, the men admitted they had taken the copper from Prengler.

Gurley said while Carranza was at Prengler, another man entered the store and attempted to sell copper wire. Police were not able to determine if the copper had been stolen but arrested the subject for giving a false ID. Forty-five-year-old Jacinto Cedillo Alvizo was charged with failure to ID and booked into the Henderson County Jail.

Flores was also charged with giving a false ID to a police officer. Flores and Resindes are being held on a federal detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to ICE, the filing of a detainer alerts local officials that federal immigration authorities have questions about the citizenship status of a prisoner. For such persons, ICE requests local authorities to notify the agency regarding the disposition of criminal charges.

State House Bill 1766, which became law Sept. 1, 2007, made theft of wiring or cable that consists of at least 50 percent aluminum, bronze or copper and that has a value of less than $20,000 a state jail felony. A state jail felony is punishable by a sentence of no more than two years and no less that 180 days in jail and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

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