Pontiac man arrested for theft of copper wire

Three men were caught cutting down approximately 90-foot lengths of large-diameter copper wire off a Metro PCS cellular telephone tower in Commerce Township at around 10:44 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4.

When Oakland County Sheriff’s Department Commerce Township Substation deputies arrived at the scene, they detained the three men observed there. Two of them were eventually released, while suspect Roger Heverly was arrested and taken to the Oakland County Jail.

Heverly, a former Metro PCS employee, allegedly used a combination to get past the locked gate and reportedly had the codes/combinations to other cell tower sites in the area.

Heverly, a Pontiac resident, was arraigned in front of 52-1 District Court Magistrate Michael Batchik on one count of malicious destruction of property to utility equipment. He was released on a $5,000 personal bond. Heverly reportedly has a prior conviction for larceny out of West Virginia.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate other possible thefts from cell towers in and around the county.