CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — Clarksville Police arrested two Louisville men for copper theft after pursuing them across the Ohio River early Thursday morning.
Johnathan Collins and Clinton Woosley allegedly stole copper wire from the vacant Clarksville Plaza shopping center.
"Our officers obviously pursued them and when it got over into Louisville, they did wreck out into a drainage ditch," Det. Justice Kraft said.
The police chase started at the shopping center and ended in the Portland neighborhood when the suspects crashed off I-64 exit three. The two men ran on foot after crashing their utility truck.
Clarksville Police were on alert after they received a report last week of copper being stolen from inside the old Hobby Lobby off the Lewis and Clark Parkway.
At least one of the light posts there in the parking lot showed signs of tampering. Patrol officers said they noticed the two accused men at the empty shopping center early Thursday morning before a traffic stop led to the 2:30 a.m. chase.
In this instance, police estimate $500,000 worth of damage to the business. They suspect the total across Kentuckiana is even greater.
"We are working with other law enforcement agencies to connect the dots," Kraft said. "But it's a significant enough amount to where we're looking at almost $1 million worth if we combine our case with other cases in the area."
Clarksville Police Chief Nathan Walls said they're currently working on search warrants, including warrants for phone records, which may help pinpoint locations of other copper wire thefts.
Louisville Metro Police (LMPD) confirmed the two departments are cooperating on the investigation.
Collins and Woosley are facing criminal charges for stealing copper and resisting law enforcement.
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