Two arraigned on theft charges
A second set of men has been charged in connection with the theft of copper wire from a North Bethlehem Township supply yard.
William Howes, 54, of 2414 Sandy Plains Road, Clarksville, and James Lee Ritenour Jr., 36, of 142 Howes Lane, Fredericktown, were arraigned Thursday before District Judge Curtis Thompson on charges of theft, theft of property lost or mislaid and receiving stolen property.
Howes reportedly loaned his vehicle to Robert Teagarden, 34, and Michael Stitchick, 45, both of Clarksville, on May 20. Teagarden and Stitchick went to the Chesapeake Energy supply yard at 1200 National Pike (Route 40). Teagarden and Stitchick were arrested by state police on charges including burglary and theft after they were seen on surveillance cameras as they were in the process of stealing 400 feet of copper valued at $4,000.
Howes and Ritenour went to the area about 8:45 a.m. that morning to look for Howes’ car, when they saw where the wire had been stashed. State police left it so it could be photographed by a member of their forensics services team. Howes and Ritenour were seen, also on a surveillance camera, loading the wire into Howes’ truck.
Howes and Ritenour burned the wire and took 80 pounds of copper to a Greene County scrap yard, where they sold it.
Howes and Ritenour were in Washington County jail on probation violations. Thompson set bond at $5,000 on the new charges. All four are scheduled for June 10 preliminary hearings before Thompson.