pounds of copper stolen from recycling center|[05/14/08]

CRIME * From staff reports

On the day after Gov. Haley Barbour vetoed a bill that would increase penalties for metal theft, about $3,600 in copper wire was reported stolen from a Warren County recycling center.

At 7:23 p.m. Tuesday, it was reported to the Warren County Sheriff’s Department that about 1,000 pounds copper was missing from Keyes Recycling, 4385 U.S. 61 North. The copper was valued at $3.60 per pound,

Also, in the city Tuesday, a 5-ton air-conditioning unit was reported stolen from the roof of Good Shepherd Community Center, 629 Cherry St. Police received the report at 2:28 p.m.

Lt. Bobby Stewart said the AC unit was stolen likely to be scrapped for its copper.

Gov. Barbour said the metal-theft bill placed “an undue regulatory burden on the metal recycling industry, including many small businesses in Mississippi.”

The bill would have required metal buyers to record the seller’s name, age, address, and thumbprint, and also hold the item for several days before adding it to other inventory.

City man charged with eluding officers

A Vicksburg man was arrested Tuesday and was charged with eluding a law-enforcement officer and drug possession, Vicksburg Police said.

According to Lt. Bobby Stewart, officers attempted pulling over a vehicle at Cherry and Shannon streets. The driver failed to yield and a brief chase followed. The eluding vehicle came to a stop at Fairground and Pearl streets, where a man got out and fled on foot.

He was soon caught and also found to be in possession of cocaine, Stewart said.

Arrested was Alonzo Curtis Jr., 26, 230 Curry St. Stewart said Curtis was being held at the Vicksburg Police Department without bond pending his initial appearance.

City woman arrested for sale of cocaine

A Vicksburg woman was in jail this morning on drug charges, Vicksburg police said.

Rose Eatmon, 47, 2816 Drummond St., was arrested at 2:48 p.m. in the 1100 block of Bowmar Street and charged with sale of cocaine.

She was being held in the Warren County Jail on a $20,000 bond.