Police say four people have been charged in connection with two separate copper wire thefts in the city of Calgary this month. The Calgary Police Service (CPS) said both incidents involved calls from the public about suspicious vehicles seen parked near maintenance access points. The first incident took place at about 5 a.m. on Aug. 21, in the 3900 block of Edmonton Trail N.E. Police say a red SUV was parked near a manhole, with a tow strap attached to an object inside. “The witness reported that the vehicle was driven forward in an attempt to pull items from the manhole,” CPS said in a release. “When officers arrived, they located three suspects, one man and two women, near the manhole. All three were taken into custody.” CPS said those suspects have all since been charged with mischief causing damage over $5,000 and various other charges. The second incident occurred at 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 24, in the 4000 block of Edmonton Trail N.E. Police said a vehicle had been reported parking beside a manhole with individuals repeatedly entering it over a period of several weeks. When police arrived, they found a man sleeping inside the vehicle and when they opened the manhole, a second suspect was found inside. Police seized tools, supplies and 25 feet of telecommunications cable lying on the ground while a subsequent search seized 23.4 grams of suspected methamphetamine and 11.7 grams of fentanyl. Both suspects face charges of theft, mischief causing damage over $5,000, drug possession and other offences. Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact police by calling 403-266-1234. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers through any of the following methods:
