Four charged with stealing copper from utility company
Three people are in jail, charged with stealing copper from AT&T.
Hancock County Sheriff Ricky Adam said 35-year-old Justin Hoda of Gulfport, 24-year-old Olympia Elchos and 63-year-old Freda Elchos, both of the Kiln and Kiley Shiyou, no age given, are each facing charges of grand larceny and burglary, possession of burglary tools. They were taken to the Hancock County jail and bond has not been set.
They each have a court date of Feb. 4 in Justice Court.
Adam said the trio apparently tried to steal some copper from the AT&T property on Kiln-DeLisle Road on Wednesday but were unsuccessful.
Two deputies and neighboring property owners staked out the store Thursday night and Adam said they caught Hoda, Shiyou and the Elchos in the act of trying to steal the copper.
It started with a call on January 6, when deputies were sent to AT&T theft of copper wire.
On January 9, another report was filed at the same location where the suspects cut the remaining wire down but did not take it.
On January 10, the suspects returned and were caught in the act of attempting to steal the remaining wire.
Adam said there have been copper thefts in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties because the value of the metal has gone up.
The investigation is ongoing. Adam said a vehicle was impounded and will be searched once a warrant is secured.
