BENTON, MISSOURI - Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter said three men have been arrested and charged in connection with the theft of irrigation wire.
Marcus A. Bowers (26) Jonesboro, IL. Joseph M. Reddick (52) Emporia, KS., and Marvin L. Burton Jr. (44) Scott City have all been charged by Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Boyd, with felony stealing and property damage. Judge Scott Horman has set bond at $5,000 (cash only) on each of the suspects.
Walter said his office received a phone call Wednesday afternoon regarding suspicious activity on the riverfront in Commerce. When the responding deputy arrived, he observed Bowers, Reddick, and Burton burning the insulation off a large amount of wire. The wire was later determined to be irrigation pivot wire stolen from Bula’s Heartland Farm outside of Benton. Approximately 800 feet of wire valued at $4,840 was stolen.
After being arrested and transported to the Scott County Jail, one of the suspects spoke with an investigator regarding the theft. The suspects reportedly parked on the shoulder of interstate 55 and walked to the field where the theft occurred. One suspect was the lookout while the other two cut and rolled the irrigation wire. The wire was loaded in the suspect vehicle and transported to the riverfront in Commerce so the insulation could be burned off. The suspect who spoke to investigators said they had already taken an undetermined amount of stolen wire to a recycling center in Cape Girardeau and cashed it in.
Walter said the theft of irrigation wire is becoming more frequent each day with the prices being paid for scrap wire by recycling centers. This type of criminal activity is very costly to the farmers and it’s also extremely dangerous to the persons stealing the wire. Walter is asking that anyone seeing activity that may be related to the theft of irrigation wire to please call and report it.
