Two Utah men were apprehended early Sunday morning after deputies witnessed them breaking into the NV Energy storage yard near the 800 block of East Long Street, allegedly to steal copper wire.
According to the arrest report, a plain-clothes deputy saw the two men later identified as Thomas Hugh Byington, 44, of Midvale, Utah, and Lawrence Thomas Druce, 45, of West Jordan, Utah, drive down Corbett Street and park. He then saw them gather tools and enter a field under the cover of darkness in the direction of NV Energy. The deputy called in backup to surround the area, and the deputies heard the suspects cut the lock on the fence and enter the property.
Several minutes later, the suspects were seen walking back to the truck, where a welcoming party of deputies was waiting. After being told to stop, the two took off running for about 300 hundred yards where they found other deputies waiting for them, and were taken into custody.
According to the report, the men said they had received information about NV Energy and were there to steal copper, but decided to leave when they saw surveillance cameras in the yard. They didn't actually take anything from the NV Energy yard, but a chain and lock securing a gate was found cut. A records check showed the Druce was on parole in Utah for theft and had a revoked driver's license, and that Byington was a registered sex offender in Utah.
Deputies also found tubing in the back of the suspect's vehicle that had been stripped of copper wire.
Both men were arrested for felony attempted grand larceny, misdemeanor destruction of property, obstructing and trespassing. Druce was also accused of gross misdemeanor possession of burglary tools, and misdemeanor driving on a revoked license. Bail for Druce was set at $29,408. Bail for Byinton was set at $26,276.