Man Arrested for Copper Wire Theft from Moses Lake Substation–Dodges Electrocution

The intrusion happened January 3rd, but Grant County Deputies and Moses Lake Police were able to identify and locate the suspect.

  Man arrested for substation copper wire theft

Authorities say 50-year-old Jeffrey Hughes of Moses Lake is facing multiple charges after he was found with evidence linking him to a break-in at a Grant County PUD substation.

Workers who were checking the power substation on Wenatchee Drive in Moses Lake found evidence someone had tried to cut the gate locks, then a hole had been cut in the chain link fencing.

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Using nearby surveillance footage and other information Deputies were able to link a car in the area to Hughes, and a man matching his description was spotted in the area around 3 AM January 3rd.

Investigators found copper wire and sheathing in his car,  he was 'lodged' in the Grant County Jail on 2nd. Degree Theft.  As often happens with these kind of break-ins, he was lucky he didn't electrocute himself.

Given the rather low returns for recycled copper (anywhere from $.50 to $4.00 per pound depending on quality)  he would not have gotten much for his efforts-unless he'd taken an entire spool of wire.