The Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft of power pole ground wire.
Deputy Matt Duhham was called to 599 Highway 299 Tuesday around 4:50 p.m. where a resident had noticed the ground wire hanging low beside his home.
The resident said that when he drove north on Highway 299 he noticed the utility company’s ground wire was missing.
The man said he noticed his dogs barking around 3 a.m. that day but didn’t go see what they were barking at.
As Deputy Dunham investigated the case he discovered the ground wire was missing from three different places on Highway 299. There was approximately two tenths of a mile missing between block number 599 and the intersection of Highway 299 and Highway 174. There was about one tenth of a mile missing between block number 551 and 516. There was about a tenth of a mile missing between block number 485 and 452.
All together, there was approximately four tenths of a mile, or about 2112 feet of ground wire missing.
With an estimated value of $2 per foot, the value of the missing cable ia about $4,224.
Anyone with information on this crime should contact the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Department.
