On June 8, 2017, an alert Trooper made an arrest of two men suspected in stealing copper wire from light poles near the Indiana Toll Road.
Trooper Chris Eagles was driving on the Cline Avenue ramp towards the Indiana Toll Road around midnight on June 8th when he saw a green Chevy Blazer pulled to the side of the ramp.
The Blazer was parked next to a light pole in an area that has seen numerous thefts of the copper wire from the light poles.
Trooper Eagles stopped to check on the Blazer to see if they needed help when the passenger, Jossean Echavarria (28) of Hammond, IN, said they had stopped because the Blazer was overheating. During this discussion Trooper Eagles noticed bolt cutters and rolled wire in the back of the SUV.
A check of the light pole showed that the wires had been cut on the pole next to the Blazer.
The driver, Diquon Ray (21) of Burnham, IL, was found to have an active warrant from Kosciusko County. He was arrested on this warrant as well as charges of theft, criminal mischief, and operator never licensed.
Jossean Echavarria was arrested for theft and criminal mischief. Both were taken to the Lake County Jail. Almost 800 feet of wire was found in the back of the SUV.
The Indiana Toll Road has had losses of nearly $80,000 in wire thefts so far this year.
