Man Electrocuted While Trying to Steal Copper Wires in Waterbury: Police

A copper thief was electrocuted while he attempted to steal copper wires former public housing apartments in Waterbury more than a week ago, police said.

Jose Ortiz, 48, was attempting to strip copper from electrical wires in a transformer box at the closed William V. Begg Apartments complex in Waterbury at 1106 Bank Street when he was shocked, police said. An unknown person dropped him off in front of Waterbury Hospital at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21 and he arrived without a shoe. Police found the other shoe at the crime scene.

Ortiz was in cardiac arrest when doctors found him and medical staff tried to save him, but he soon died at the hospital.

It's unknown at this time whether Ortiz had any accomplices.

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