AT&T rep catches copper thieves in the act

Published 7:59 pm Thursday, January 17, 2019

: Sandy Gaye May, from left, Kevin Earl Sanders and John Wayne Williamson are each charged with felony malicious mischief and grand larceny in the theft of the cable.

Three Vicksburg residents have each been charged with grand larceny and felony malicious mischief in the reported theft of about 80 feet of AT&T cable, Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said.

John Wayne Williamson, 37; Sandy Gaye May, 55; and Kevin Earl Sanders, 35; all of 15 Fog Drive, were being held in the Warren County Jail in lieu of bonds of $20,000 each. Pace said the felony malicious mischief charge involves the damage to the cable, while the grand larceny involves the cable theft.

Warren County sheriff’s investigators Stacy Rollinson, left, and Todd Dykes display a piece of AT&T cable seized from three Vicksburg residents after they were arrested for cutting the cable down for the copper wire. (John Surratt/The Vicksburg Post)

Pace said the trio was arrested Tuesday after an AT&T representative on his way to answer a call about lost phone service saw them on U.S. 61 near the LeTourneau community attempting to load the cable into a pickup truck after cutting it from the pole.

“When they saw him, they got into the truck and fled,” Pace said. “The AT&T representative followed them and got a tag number and a good description of the truck and called 911.”

Vicksburg police officers located the truck on Fog Drive and held the trio until deputies arrived.

“The cost of that cable was $1,500,”Pace said. “The cost of restoring phone service to the people in that area will cost thousands.”

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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