Utica police charge local man in $14,000 copper wire theft

UTICA, N.Y. — A 28-year-old employee of the Oneida County Water Pollution Control Plant has been charged with grand larceny following the theft of nearly $14,000 in copper wire, according to the Utica Police Department.

Officers were dispatched to the plant on September 20, 2024, after the theft was reported. Employees at the facility had contacted local recycling centers and discovered that an individual had repeatedly scrapped the same type of wire that had been stolen. Further investigation revealed that the person responsible for scrapping the wire was an employee of the plant.

The thefts were also captured on surveillance footage. The suspect, identified as Harold Thomas of Clinton, turned himself in to Utica Police investigators on October 4, 2024. He has been charged with grand larceny in the third degree.

The investigation is ongoing.

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