Sheriff Jones highlights wire and metal thefts

WARDEN - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones highlighted his department's progress reducing wire and metal thefts during a recent town hall meeting in Warden.

Jones said one of his greatest priorities when he became sheriff was to curb wire and metal thefts countywide.

"I will tell you that it is on the down tick, but it is nowhere to where we need it to be," Jones said. "We have little hot pockets all over the county where they are coming in, taking it apart until we come in and saturate it. Then we will arrest them and charge them, book them into jail and then they will find another spot."

According to the Grant County Sheriff's Office annual report, there were 35 metal/wire thefts in 2010, 38 in 2011, 15 in 2012 and 19 in 2013.

Jones said it is usually the same individuals across the county who are committing the wire and metal thefts.

Over the past couple of years, the sheriff's office increased their number of patrols in rural areas, country roads and edges of farm circles, to prevent would be thieves who steal at night.

In the coming weeks and months, many farmers will start de-activating irrigation circles. Span wire has been a target of thefts recently.

"For some reason these folks that come out and steal, it seems like it's easier to work a full 12-hour job than it is to tear one of these things down and peal it apart for two feet of span wire and trade it in for $30," Jones said.

Jones told the crowd his department has developed a task force which works with local metal recycling centers, to help lower the number of wire and metal thefts.

At the offset of the task force the relationship was rocky, but has since made strides.

"Today we have an absolutely phenomenal working relationship with our metal recycling centers. They allow us to come in and do our spot checks and do our inspections. I will tell you that this year, every one of them has been in compliance every time we stopped by, which wasn't the case three years ago," Jones said.

Jones also stated his department has developed a no-buy list for metal recycling centers.

If a person is convicted of a crime, not just metal thefts, but drug, burglary and other related crimes, they are placed on the no-buy list for 10 years and cannot sell to recycling centers for that time period.

The list is updated every six months, so recycling centers can go in and research the people they buy from. Recycling centers are now calling in potential stolen property, according to Jones.

These wire and metal thefts have been a problem for Warden residents.

"I know just talking to Chief (Rick) Martin and locals, when they steal here in Warden, that's where they go, they go up to Moses Lake because that's where all of our recycling centers are. We have to have that positive communication with those centers in order to try to prevent the selling of stolen property," Jones said.

Jones also urged farmers to start marking their equipment, as it will give deputies a way to trace their stolen property back to them.

Jones told residents to be vigilant, and report suspicious circumstances. He said residents know who belongs in certain areas and who doesn't.