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Victor Mejia, 38, of Leonia “appeared nervous and gave a conflicting statement” about his travels after Officer Ryan Berger stopped him on Fort Lee Road by DeGraw Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 14, Capt. Chris Garris said.
In the back of his vehicle was “a large item under a blanket,” the captain said.
When Berger asked about it, Mejia admitted what he’d done, he said.
It's mind-boggling, really. Depending on the gauge, 1,800 pounds of copper wire could stretch anywhere from 17 to 27 miles.
Mejia was charged with receiving stolen property and released on a summons pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.
Con Edison sent representatives to Leonia police headquarters as part of their own investigation.
Copper is valuable as scrap because of its many uses – from fiber optics to plumbing to electrical fixtures.
Con Ed uses a special spray on its copper wiring that contains microscopic tags with a unique code that identifies it.
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