Sheriff Arrests Three for Stealing Manhole Covers
MADERA COUNTY – The Madera County Sheriff’s Office arrested three Planada residents for stealing and trying to sell manhole covers.
Dawn McKay Dorothy Jane Alt Isaac Gonzales
Dorothy Jane Alt, 19, Joy Dawn McKay, 37, and Isaac Gonzalez, 30, were arrested at a recycling center in Madera County. They were trying to sell three manhole covers, but the recycler reported the attempted sale to the authorities.
According to authorities, Alt and McKay went into the business around 1 p.m. on Wednesday to try to sell the covers while Gonzalez waited in the car. The detective called to the scene questioned the suspects and they told him they found the covers at a former labor camp in Planada. They also told the detective they didn’t have permission to be on the site or take any materials.
The detective called the sheriff’s office to find out if there had been any recent thefts reported from the camp and was told that copper wire and steel manhole covers had been stolen that morning, authorities said.
A search of the suspects’ car revealed a steel pry bar, pipe wrench, tin snips and other tools used to removed manhole covers and wires.
The three suspects were booked at the Madera County Department of Corrections and could be facing felony charges. Bail was set at $10,000 for each of the suspects.
This is just one of many cases of thefts of metal and other recyclable materials. Recyclers are only allowed to accept manhole covers from government agencies like the city of county, according to the sheriff’s office.
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ABC30: 3 Arrested for Manhole Cover Theft in Madera County
