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Corporate Security Investigators Crack Copper Theft Crime Spree
After a seven-month long investigation, Aquila’s Corporate Security investigators from Clarence M. Kelley & Associates (CMKA) cracked a massive copper theft crime spree that included seventeen substation burglaries resulting in losses upwards of $150,000. CMKA Senior Security Consultant/Investigator and CMKA Revenue Protection Investigator worked closely with members of the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the FBI, and several local police departments to identify and apprehend two leaders of a copper theft ring.
As the burglaries continued and the investigation developed, the thieves attempted to cover their tracks by stealing electronic video surveillance and communications equipment installed at Aquila’s area substations. In September 2007, the thieves stole the communications cell phone from the KC South Substation but made the mistake of using this phone for several weeks thereafter. According to the CMKA Investigator, “Once the thieves had our cell phone in their possession, we decided to leave the service on to see if they would use it.” As he had hoped, “the thieves continued to use the phone which allowed us to back-track the calls and ultimately identify them and their address.”
Through investigation, one of the two identified suspects was found in federal custody and being held on a felony weapons charge. CMKA was granted permission by the authorities to interview this suspect on several different occasions. Following these interviews, the CMKA Investigators learned the name of the second suspect and main copper theft ringleader. Unfortunately, the newly identified suspect showed his address as homeless, making it very difficult to track him down.
At this point in the investigation, Aquila’s System Protection and Transmission Line Supervisor pointed out to CMKA that he had devised a way of immediately alerting the Lee’s Summit Operations Center (LSOC) through the SCADA System if and when copper was being taken from a substation. Aquila’s System Protection and Transmission Line Supervisor reviewed the device with his Aquila supervisors and was granted permission to use it.
At 2:23 a.m. on Monday morning, Dec, 3, 2007, the device worked as designed and alerted LSOC of a copper theft in progress at Aquila’s Hook Road Substation. In turn, LSOC notified Aquila’s Central Monitoring Station who contacted the Lee’s Summit Police Department (LSPD). At 2:31am, eight minutes after the initial alert, the LSPD arrived on the scene and immediately noticed the suspects’ vehicle in the woods behind the substation. The CMKA Investigator and LSPD K-9 Unit arrived on the scene at 2:50a.m. By 2:55a.m., the subject was found hiding in the woods by the K-9 Unit and taken into custody. As it turned out, this copper thief was the homeless suspect and ringleader named by the first suspect when interviewed in federal custody a month earlier.
Currently, Aquila’s Corporate Security investigators are assisting local authorities in prosecuting these cases. The September 2007 case which includes most of the burglaries has been prepared by the Kansas City, Mo., PD for presentation to a Jackson County Grand Jury. The second case for the December Hook Road burglary has been prepared by Lee’s Summit PD detectives for presentation to their prosecutors.
Since the arrest of the copper theft ringleader on Dec. 3, 2007, Aquila has not been the victim of a substation burglary. Corporate Security is proud of the effort everyone put forth in this investigation and the genuine teamwork between Operations and Security. Every once in a while, the “good guys” do win.
For follow-up information contact CMKA:
Jeff Harper - 913-647-7712
Rod Smith - 913-647-7711
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