LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Four individuals were arrested last week after being accused of stealing copper wire in Louisville. The arrests were made by the Louisville Metro Police Department following an investigation into the theft of fiber optic cables from AT&T.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on February 18 at approximately 4 a.m. Officers responded to reports of downed support cables on the roadway. Upon further investigation, police discovered surveillance footage showing an individual in a vehicle cutting, damaging, and removing 300 inches of AT&T fiber optic cable in the area of Cooper Avenue and Filson Fields Drive in Okolona.
Detectives later identified the registered vehicle involved in the crime and conducted surveillance at its listed address. They observed three suspects—Colin James Hardin, Robert Lapinksy, and John Cummins—loading the cut copper wire into a brown Chevrolet. Hardin reportedly told detectives that Lapinksy had been assisting with stripping the wire.
After securing a search warrant, investigators found Jasmin Becker in a nearby structure. The suspects were all interviewed and subsequently confessed to their involvement in the crime. Hardin admitted to cutting the wires while the others acted as lookouts or helped with loading and stripping the wire. During the investigation, marijuana and tools used for stripping the copper wire were found alongside the partially stripped cables.
Carlos Sanchez, President of AT&T Kentucky, expressed concern over the theft, stating, “Destroying communication lines can keep people from reaching emergency services, putting people at risk in times of crime, injury, and crisis.” Sanchez emphasized the importance of such arrests in preventing further incidents and ensuring public safety.
AT&T, along with other communication companies, offers rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals involved in copper wire thefts. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant as they continue their efforts to combat this type of crime.
Mugshots of the arrested suspects were not immediately available at the time of the report.
