WILLIAMSON COUNTY, IL. (WJPF) – Police in Williamson County are investigating multiple cases of theft and criminal damage to public utilities.

The suspects in these cases have damaged public utilities by climbing, or in many cases, cutting down utility poles for the purpose of stealing copper wire.  

This activity has resulted in service outages to customers and damages to the utility infrastructure collectively in excess of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

October 4, just after 3:00am, Deputies observed a wire theft in progress near Old Route 13 and Wolf Creek Road.

Two suspects, Loran Robison and Rusty Leeper, left the area and were stopped by deputies.

Their truck had a bed full of stolen wire and also lineman climbing equipment in the back seat.

Robison also faces multiple charges of theft and criminal damage to property in the area of Lake Egypt Road in August and September.

The Sheriffs Office has also taken 3 reports for theft and criminal damage to property on Stotlar Road east of Bandyville Road.

During the investigation it was determined Jerri Stirizel and Steven Litton sold stolen copper wire from this location.

Stritzel and Litton were arrested, cited with possession of stolen property and taken to the Williamson County Jail.

Additional arrests are anticipated and this remains an ongoing investigation.