Joseph Black, 60, and his son, Daniel, 28, were arrested Thursday afternoon for allegedly stealing copper ground wires from Westar utility poles along Minnesota Road.
Undersheriff Bryan Murphy said a person called 911 to report the theft — he was driving nearby and saw wire being cut from a pole.
After notifying area scrap dealers, officers received a call from Ray’s Metal Depot, LaHarpe. The Blacks had taken 12 1/2 pounds of copper wire with other scrap metal to Ray’s.
During the Blacks’ arrests, Murphy said it was noted that the elder Black was wanted on a Linn County warrant, charging him with theft of metal from a railroad company. Local charges of theft have been requested against both Blacks, as well as obstruction against Daniel Black, who “wasn’t as cooperative as his dad,” said Murphy.
