Metal Thieves Strike at CL&P: Cops

One suspect tried to trick police with a 911 call, police said.

Plainfield Police arrested two men early Tuesday morning accused of trying to steal wire from the fenced-in storage yard of the Connecticut Light and Power building on Cemetery Road.

When police responded to the facility at 2:18 a.m., two people ran off, but it would not take long before they took two people into custody. 

The State Police K-9 was called in because Plainfield Police Department’s K-9 was not available and police said they found Randy Lachapelle, 45, of Water Street in Canterbury, on the railroad tracks of Railroad Avenue in Plainfield and took him into custody. 

Lachapelle’s suspected accomplice, Peter Denning, 50, of Poquonnock Road in Groton, tried to get police to leave the scene by calling 911, police said, but investigators discovered that the call was false.

They pinged the GPS of his cell phone, found Denning on Academy Hill Road in Plainfield and arrested him, police said. 

Lachapelle was charged with third-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal attempt to commit and sixth-degree larceny. 

Denning was charged for third-degree burglary, criminal attempt to commit and sixth-degree larceny degree. 

Connecticut State Police charged Denning with making the false Emergency 911 call. 

Lachapelle and Denning were held on $5,000 bonds and are scheduled to appear at the Danielson Superior Court on Tuesday.

Several copper thefts have been reported around the state in recent years as thieves cash in on high copper prices.

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