A 64-year-old Umatilla man is accused of stealing more than $20,000 worth of copper wire from a Duke Energy substation and trying to sell it to a recycling company.
Luchious Myron Clayton, of 38139 Church St., was charged Monday with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, larceny of items valued between $20,000 and $100,000, and dealing in stolen property. Clayton was already in the Lake County Jail on armed burglary and grand theft charges.
On March 21, a Lake County sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of a burglary at a power substation at 16935 Mills St. in Umatilla. A Duke Energy employee told the deputy that a suspect, who he identified as “Luchious,” had cut the 6-foot barbed-wire, chain-link fence and entered the secured area of the substation. The employee described Luchious – later positively identified as Clayton – as a black male who rides his bicycle in the area, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The Duke Energy employee said Clayton stole copper wire and copper connection materials worth more than $20,000 and provided an itemized list of the stolen items. He also said damage to the fence totaled about $1,500. The employee said he went to Forest Gate Recycling in Umatilla and spoke with the owner, who said a black male named “Luchious” had been selling him copper wire. The recycling center owner showed the Duke Energy employee a piece of wire that Clayton had brought in and it matched the wire that was stolen from the substation, the report said.
The deputy went to Forest Gate Recycling and spoke with the owner, who said Clayton was there earlier in the day trying to sell copper wire. The owner provided a copy of Clayton’s Florida identification card and a sales receipt for 2 pounds of Romex wire for $3. The owner said Clayton visits their business frequently trying to sell copper wire. He said Clayton has tried to sell clean (non-insulated) wire in the past and they’ve refused to purchase it. He said the amount of wire Clayton brought in increased each day and the wire was considered commercial grade, according to the report.
A detective went to the jail on Friday, April 8, and spoke with Clayton. The detective explained the evidence against Clayton and asked him who assisted with the theft of the wire from the substation. Clayton said he did it by himself, the report said.
Clayton, who is being held on $27,000 bond, has two court dates scheduled: 8 a.m. April 25 and 8:30 a.m. May 9.
