Police Catch Burglar at Familiar Oxford Locale

For the third time in a year, police caught a man Tuesday night in the act of trying to steal copper wire and other wire barrells from a Connecticut Light & Power substation next to the Oxford Board of Education building on Great Hill Road, police said.

Police were dispatched to 1 Great Hill Road where a man was reported to be stealing wire. Officers said in a report they did not immediately locate a suspect, so they called in a state police canine unit.

Within minutes, the dog located a 20-year-old man hiding in a CL&P tractor-trailer, the report states.

Daniel Patrick Zilli, of 67 Commordor Commons, was charged with sixth-degree larceny, criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, second-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespass. He was released on a $500 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Derby Superior Court on Oct. 17.

Police have said that good police work all three times led to the three arrests at the substation this year.  and the .

The high price of copper has enticed criminals to steal it from various locales, including homes, many of which are vacant. Last month,  Those incidents remain under investigation.

Copper prices have taken a dip in the past month after soaring for more than two years. Copper was worth $3.18 as of Wednesday, according to CNN Money. That was a 23 percent drop since this time last month. But it was still up significantly from the price it had been historically. In May 2009, before the price surge occurred due to various international factors, copper was selling for $1.90 per pound, according to WikiAnswers.