Pair accused of stealing copper wire from shuttered ATI plant in Gilpin
A man and woman each were charged with four felony counts in connection with the theft of about 150 pounds of copper wire on Tuesday from the idled Allegheny Technologies Inc. plant in Gilpin, according to police.
Township police arrested John Diehl, 37, of Clinton Township and Casey Finley, 35, of Harrison, after surveillance video showed Diehl entering the plant at 3:15 a.m. and Finley pulling up a vehicle to a plant gate along Bagdad Road, according to their arrest papers.
Both were charged with criminal trespass, theft of metal and burglary. Diehl faces an additional charge of criminal conspiracy and Finley was charged with receiving stolen property.
While Gilpin police Chief Christopher Fabec was responding to a call about the security breach at the plant, he spotted a tan sedan that matched the description of the suspect’s vehicle. Fabec said he pulled over the car and noticed that Diehl was sweating heavily and that Finley’s boots and pants were covered in mud, according to court documents.
The chief said Diehl and Finley provided false information when questioned about where they were coming from before Fabec told them they were seen on security video at the plant.
After being taken into custody and transported to the Gilpin police station, the pair agreed to speak with the chief, according to their arrest papers. Their vehicle was impounded.
Diehl said Finley dropped him off at the plant and he entered by walking along railroad tracks and into a garage door, according to arrest papers.
Once inside, he pulled down copper wire that was hanging in the plant and loaded it onto a cart that was taken to the rear gate where he met Finley. Diehl and Finley slid the metal under the fence and into the car’s trunk, police said.
Diehl is being detained in the Armstrong County Jail after failing to post a $25,000 cash bond. Finley is jailed after failing to pay a $15,000 bond.
They face preliminary hearings on Nov. 24 before District Judge James Andring.
Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.
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