Suspected copper thieves in jail
Two Hungry Horse men were arrested Thursday in connection with the theft of copper wire from a Flathead Electric Cooperative substation.
Bobby Matthew Matney, 28, and Anthony Michael Conner, 31, are being held in the Flathead County Detention Center pending felony criminal mischief and theft charges.
Investigators took Matney and Conner into custody at the Dam Town Tavern at 4:40 p.m. Thursday after receiving a tip that linked the suspects' vehicle to a theft earlier this week at the cooperative's Badrock substation.
Authorities recovered 31 pounds of copper grounding wire stolen from the Badrock substation and sold locally to Pacific Steel and Recycling for $46.50.
The third such theft of copper wire from the Badrock substation since October 2007, the break-in caused between $10,000 and $12,000 in damages, according to Flathead Electric spokeswoman Wendy Ostrom Price.
With all the risk to their lives and in light of the high repair costs, thieves are taking only $50 to $100 worth of copper at a time, Ostrom Price said.
The suspects allegedly cut through the fences, ignoring large signs warning of high voltage and danger. Voltage at substations can range from 12,000 to 230,000 volts, but even 120 volts can be deadly if conditions are right.
"They don't know how lucky they are that they didn't get into a situation that could have killed them," said Flathead Electric General Manager Dave Biggar.
In addition, holes in the fences around substations pose a danger to children and missing ground wire destabilizes the power system - posing a danger to workers.
Investigators are trying to find out if Matney and Conner are connected to a total of nine thefts of copper wire from Flathead Valley substations, and detectives are researching applicable interpretations of burglary statutes, Flathead County Sheriff's Det. Kirby Adams said.
Flathead Electric Cooperative reported copper wire stolen from four of its substations during one week in October 2007. The wire, taken from substations in Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Heights, was valued at more than $900.
In January, thieves broke into a Bonneville Power Administration substation on Berne Road near Columbia Falls and stole copper grounding wire, causing between $10,000 and $20,000 in damage. That substation also was hit again earlier this week.
More than 25 such thefts occurred at its facilities in 2007, costing power companies almost $200,000, according to the Bonneville Power Administration.
Reporter Nicholas Ledden can be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at nledden@dailyinterlake.com