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It happened on Monday, Nov. 20 in the Hartford County town of Manchester, according to Connecticut State Police.
At approximately 8:30 that morning, 49-year-old John Seeley of Springfield, Massachusetts was reportedly seen on the side of I-384 West wearing a reflective construction gear and a hard hat.
A witness claimed to see Seeley pulling copper wires out of light poles, and when police arrived at the scene, they reported seeing the man place those wires in the back of his U-Haul pickup truck, which had the registration plate covered until officers got there.
Seeley told Troopers that he had been hired by the Connecticut Department of Transportation as a sub-contractor but was not able to prove it.
Later, a supervisor for the CT DOT confirmed that Seeley was not a hired contractor, nor was there work scheduled in the area where Seeley was caught with the copper wires.
Moreover, the DOT reported that there were multiple light poles with damaged or missing wires, though the total extent of the damage was not released.
Seeley was arrested and charged with the following:
- Negligent use of the highway by a pedestrian;
- First-degree criminal mischief;
- Criminal attempt or Larceny;
- Possession of drug paraphernalia;
- Failure to display plates; and
- Improper parking.
He was held on $100,000 bond until his arraignment, which was scheduled at Manchester Superior Court on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
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