Natrona Sheriff’s Office Arrest Three in Copper Theft Ring

Three people are in custody and the Natrona County Sheriff's Office is seeking another suspect for their roles in stealing copper and other wire, a sheriff's investigator said Thursday.

Charla Burton, Douglas Pope and Justin Carpenter were arrested Wednesday and all were charged with felony receiving and concealing stolen property, Taylor Courtney said.

The Sheriff's Office is still looking for Robert Johnson, Courtney added.

The three in custody probably will make their initial appearances in Natrona County Circuit Court on Thursday afternoon, he said.

The suspects allegedly would steal wire and cable, strip it by hand, and sell it to scrap yards, Courtney said.

The case started several weeks ago when a local business reported wire was missing, followed by reports from another business in Natrona County and one in an unidentified county, he said.

The stolen wire was from businesses in the oil and wind energy industries, Courtney said.

It would be in spools, ground wire, or sometimes cut from equipment, he said.

"The case is still under investigation, so it's possible other people are involved," Courtney said.