The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office arrested three people early in the morning on Friday, May 9 after catching them in the act of attempting to steal communications cable in Whitefield.
According to a press release issued by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Michael Murphy, Reggie French, 49, Steve French, 54, and Jennifer Decosta, 44, all of China, were charged with aggravated criminal mischief, a Class C felony, after detectives and deputies surprised all three individuals as they were committing the act on Route 126 in Whitefield around 5 a.m.
At press time, Decosta and Reggie French have posted bail and been released. Steve French remains in custody at Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.
The arrests followed an intensive investigation into several thefts of communications cable in recent weeks, according to Murphy. The cable is a desired target for theft because of the copper inside, Murphy said.
The suspects were using a ladder and a “shepherd’s hook” to pull down the cable, according to Murphy. They then cut the cable with a power grinder. This attempted theft is estimated to have cost approximately $10,000 in damage.
The trio is suspected in multiple similar thefts around the Midcoast area, according to Murphy.
Consolidated Communications has estimated loss and damages due to the theft to exceed $230,000, said Murphy.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Ron Rollins at 882-7332 or email rrollins@lincolnso.me. Information regarding this event can also be provided anonymously via the sheriff’s office tip411 line by texting the keyword LTIP and the tip to 847411.
