Finally, they caught a copper thief! There is so much of this going on around here.

Dixie

Updated: August 1, 2008

DALLAS (AP) - A man allegedly trying to steal copper wire suffered burns over 50 percent of his body today and had to be rescued from atop a Dallas utility pole.

Police Senior Corporal Gerry Monreal told The Associated Press that police arrived to find several electric wires had been cut and were on the ground.

Monreal says the suspect apparently had been on a transformer

and grabbed one of the live wires. Most of the man's clothes were burned from his body.

His skin looked red and he appeared to be in extreme pain as rescue personnel eased him down a firetruck's extended ladder.

Officials say the man was transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas with third-degree burns on about half of his body.

Monreal say the man initially would be charged with felony criminal mischief for damage to the utility pole area. The third-degree felony is punishable by 2-10 years in prison, and up to a $10,000 fine.

http://www.kcentv.com/news/c-article.php?cid=2&nid=3587