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2 Men Caught Trying to Make Off With Power Utility Pole

The men told officers they were moving the pole because it had fallen near traffic lanes

Two men were arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, after strapping a utility pole to their SUV and trying to make off with it. 

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tweeted a photo Wednesday of the two shirtless men sitting handcuffed on a curb near their vehicle with a huge JEA utility pole lying across the SUV's roof.

Victor Walter Apeler, 46, and Blake Lee Waller, 42, were arrested and charged with grand theft, NBC affiliate WCMH-TV reported. The pole was valued at $2,500, according to WCMH-TV.

According to a police report, Apeler told officers they were moving the pole because it had fallen near traffic lanes, Action News Jax reported. 

Looting in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma has been a concern for Florida police. Earlier this week, more than two dozen people were arrested in Fort Lauderdale and Miami for Irma-related looting.

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