$1,000 reward offered in Garfield County burglaries

TROPIC – A reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a group of thieves responsible for a rash of burglaries in Garfield County. The most recent break-ins and subsequent thefts took place Saturday night at South Central Communications in Tropic and at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City.

A thief caught on camera at Ruby's Inn in Bryce Canyon City, Utah, Nov. 15, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Ruby's Inn, St. George News
A thief caught on camera at Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon City, Utah, Nov. 15, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Ruby’s Inn, St. George News

Five people wearing masks were caught on surveillance camera stealing copper cable from the South Central Communications facility in Tropic Saturday night, South Central Communications CEO Michael East said. The same group is believed to be responsible for a break-in that took place at Ruby’s Inn that same night – however, during the Ruby’s Inn burglary, one of the thieves removed his mask and his face was caught on camera.

This isn’t the first time thieves have struck South Central Communications to steal plastic-coated copper telephone wire.

“We’ve had four thefts from our location in Tropic, Utah,” East said.

East said the wire is heavy and the thieves had to cut it and carry it out in sections. He suspects the thieves are stealing the wire for its recyclable value, he said – removing the plastic sheathing, melting down the copper and selling it at recycling plants.

“It’s easy to melt down, and once you melt it you can’t trace it at all,” he said.

Other South Central properties have also been targeted recently. East said he doesn’t know if the same group of thieves is responsible for the other burglaries.

The last time the thieves struck, East said, it cost South Central about $6,000 to replace the pilfered wire – a much higher price than any recyclable value the thieves will derive from melting the wire down.

East said South Central Communications and Ruby’s Inn are collaboratively offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the thefts.

The items stolen from Ruby’s Inn were also metal items, East said. Denise Dastrup, with the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, said she doesn’t know what specific items were taken from the inn.

Anyone with information regarding these thefts or who can identify the man in the photo is asked to contact the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office at 435-676-2678.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2014, all rights reserved.

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11 Comments

  • Herd November 18, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    Just like the Bundys, these people are entitled to what they steal. Support these thieves just as you support those thieves in Nevada.

    • James November 18, 2014 at 8:46 pm

      I agree with HERD

      • Notagain November 19, 2014 at 12:12 am

        HERD is a idiot. Sounds like you got a few screws missing too.

    • Zonkerb November 18, 2014 at 10:30 pm

      Yep you got that right

  • My Evil Twin November 18, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Sounds to me like SCC needs to beef up their security a bit. A pair of Rotties in each yard should do the trick nicely.

    • Zonkerb November 18, 2014 at 10:29 pm

      Well it would keep people like you out

  • PROTECT THE SHEEP November 18, 2014 at 10:14 pm

    John Malchovich?

    • Rachel November 19, 2014 at 8:50 am

      I totally thought that, too! 😀

  • SSfreeze November 19, 2014 at 4:59 am

    A .357 would also do the trick, right between the eyes of this low life thief!

  • Koolaid November 19, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    Is he worthy of a non-conviction or something to the tune of that guy in Cedar who embezzled over 3/4 million dollars?

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