Joliet Copper Wire Thief Caught On Thanksgiving Day: Police

Joliet IL

29 November, 2021

11:26 PM

Description

JOLIET, IL — A 40-year-old Joliet man is now in the Will County Jail after Joliet police say he was stealing copper wire from a cell phone tower on Thanksgiving morning. Later that afternoon, Lawrence Gallagher was booked into county detention on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools and criminal trespass to land. Joliet police were sent to the 2000 block of Oak Leaf Street for a burglary in progress around 11:30 a.m. "An investigation revealed that Gallagher had been observed cutting copper ground wires at the base of a cell phone tower after unlawfully entering the property of Arbor Tek, whose property is where the cell tower is located," Joliet police reports show. "It was also determined that Gallagher had cut the fence located at the base of the cell tower." At the scene of the crime, Gallagher had bolt cutters and additional copper wire, Joliet police announced. He was taken into custody without any problems, according to police. Joliet police reports indicate Gallagher is homeless. However, his jail records listed him as being an apartment resident in the 2200 block of Joliet's Oneida Street. His bail was set at $10,000, and he remained incarcerated on Monday night, according to jail logs.