Two Charged with Copper Theft

Two Morris Plains residents were arrested on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 12:06 pm on Valentine Street in Hackettstown, local police reported.

Hackettstown Police responded to the 300 block of Valentine, a commercial/industrial section of town, for a report of theft of copper pipes.

As officers were responding, one officer noticed a vehicle leaving the scene and stopped it on Main Street (Route 46)

An investigation revealed Thomas Frederick, 26, of Morris Plains, alledgedly removed 14 copper pipes and a copper spring coil from the business and placed them in the vehicle.

His companion, Sindy Silva, 25, also of Morris Plains, told police the couple was not in the area of Valentine Street.  She then told the officers Frederick  took the copper and placed the items in the vehicle. He was charged with theft of moveable property and was released pending a court appearance. Silva was charged with interfering with a public official for giving a false statement and was released pending a court appearance.