Several arrested in copper wire theft

Several people arrested in Leake County last week are suspected in the theft of about $60,000 in copper wire taken from telephone poles in the Burnside and Arlington communities last year.

The Leake County Sheriff’s Office arrested a group of alleged copper thieves last week and charged them with grand larceny which is the taking of $25,000 or more. 

On Aug. 21, 2023, and Sept. 27, 2023, it was reported to the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office that copper wire was stolen from poles in the Burnside community and along Marty Stuart Drive at Arlington. 

Arrested in Leake County on Feb. 21 were:

• Michael Jones, 26, 910 Rice Creek Road

Carthage;

• Hailee Allen, 24, 910 Rice Creek Road, Carthage; • • Michael Johnson, 46, 3134 Highway 16 West, Carthage;

• Mason Cranfill, 21, 3143 Highway 16 West, Carthage;

All four have been linked to the Neshoba County thefts, Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark said, along with Dustin Jones, 28, 3134 Highway 16 West, Carthage. 

Jones was arrested by Neshoba County deputies and charged with grand larceny.

During the investigation, it was determined that the group used climbing spikes to climb the poles and cut the wires.

They used mule tape to tie to the wire and pull it down to the ground. 

The group would pile wire and then return

later to load the product. 

Neshoba County located the trimmings in an old dirt pit on Blackjack Road. The wire was reported to be sold in a scrap yard in the Jackson area.

Michael Jones, 26, Hailee Allen, 24, Michael Johnson, 46, and Mason Cranfill, 21, are all awaiting

a bond hearing in Leake County. 

Once released from Leake County, the four will be transferred to Neshoba County and face grand larceny charges.

This group is also suspected to be responsible for copper wire thefts in Attala, Scott, and Pearl River counties.

If you have any information on criminal activity in the Neshoba County- Philadelphia area, call 601-656-1414

or East Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 1-855-485-8477.