BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – UPDATE 8/8/2025 12:47 PM: A third suspect has now been charged in connection with the thefts.

Owner of Wood’s Recycling in Beaver, Lewis Richmond, has been arrested and charged with 17 felony counts of receiving stolen property.

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The Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office has charged two individuals in connection with a series of phone wire thefts that have plagued the county in recent months.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive investigation on August 7, 2025, recovering thousands of pounds of stolen copper wire and linking suspects to the sale of stolen property.

According to Sheriff Frank Priddy, the investigation focused on the illegal removal and resale of phone wire from utility poles across the county.

Evidence gathered at Wood’s Rec

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