WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. – Authorities have arrested three men accused in a multi-county copper wire heist in southern Illinois over the last several months.

Jakob D. Caldwell, Loran W. Robison, and Rusty A. Leeper all face felony charges in connection with copper wire thefts in recent months, primarily in William and Johnson counties in southern Illinois.

Investigators say the three suspects are linked to crimes that have caused significant service disruptions to thousands of customers, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to utility infrastructure.

Caldwell’s arrest marks the latest development in the ongoing investigation. On Nov. 26, he was spotted in a wooden lot with a vehicle that was loaded with stolen communication wire worth more than $100,000, then promptly taken into custody.

In October, a coordinated effort led to the arrests of Robison and Leeper, who were caught in the act of stealing 800 feet of copper wire near the Williamson-Johnson county line.

“[The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office] has implemented significant technology and resources to aid us in identifying and capturing those who steal wire,” said Sheriff Jeff Diederich. “Those who choose to commit these crimes are on notice that we will identify you and arrest you”.

Caldwell, Robison, and Leeper face a variety of charges, including criminal damage to property, possession of stolen property, theft of government property, and more.

Anyone with additional relevant information in this investigation into recent copper wire thefts is urged to contact the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office at 618-997-6541.