BY KEITH EPPS

Thieves got away with several thousand dollars worth of property--mostly copper--after breaking into at least 11 Dominion Virginia Power trucks and another business along U.S. 17 in Stafford County during the past few days, police said.

Large amounts of copper wire and various tools were stolen in the thefts, which were discovered Monday morning, Stafford Sheriff's spokesman Bill Kennedy said.

The Dominion heist occurred sometime between Sunday and Monday mornings, Kennedy said. Someone used bolt cutters to break locks on trucks parked on company property at 980 Warrenton Road near Geico.

Spools of copper were taken, along with a chain saw, a drill and other tools.

Kennedy said that between Saturday and Monday morning, a lot belonging to Team Fishel at 1184 Warrenton Road was also broken into and two large spools of copper traffic signal wire, one with 600 feet of wire and the other with 2,000 feet, were hauled away.

Kennedy said the larger spool weighs several hundred pounds, so police believe more than one person was involved.

Team Fishel does contracting work for Dominion power.

The rising value of copper in wire and other items has made those materials a target of thieves in recent years.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 540/658-4400 or Crime Solvers at 540/659-2020.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com