Five members of a copper wire theft ring in St. Paul stand accused of causing more than $210,000 in damage for stripping the valuable metal from streetlights.
St. Paul copper wire theft ring caused more than $210,000 in damage, prosecutors say
Charges say the group sold the stolen wire to a recycling facility in Blaine. One suspect was arrested Tuesday.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
April 30, 2024 at 6:56PM
Charges filed by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office last week against the five accuse them of felony energy or telecom damage, first-degree property damage and possession of burglary or theft tools. Charged are Kyaw Klay, 40; Paw La, 21; Eh Blay, 25; Aye Mae, 42; and Nay Thar, 36, all of St. Paul.
La was arrested Tuesday. Thar and Blay were arrested Feb. 23, but warrants remain active for them and others in the group.
According to charging documents, a confidential informant tipped St. Paul police that Klay runs a crew who strip wire from streetlights. Klay and Paw La are accused of reselling the wire to recycling facilities which include Dem-Con Metal Recycling in Blaine.
Investigators found that Klay earned more than $12,000 from transactions at Dem-Con between November 2023 and this January. He was so familiar at the facility that employees no longer asked for Klay’s identification when buying copper from him.
On Feb.16, a Toyota Camry tied to the case was traced parking near Mississippi River Boulevard and Dayton Avenue at around 12:45 a.m. A man with a black face mask, pants and a puffy jacket walked from the Camry toward Mississippi River Boulevard, staying on and near the bridge with two others for hours. Officers watched suspects cut copper wire from streetlights. Around two dozen streetlights were damaged, costing St. Paul an estimated $125,000 in damages.
Police stopped the Camry hours later. Klay, La, Blay and Mae were inside, and an officer later verified that Mae was the man wearing a black face mask near Mississippi River Boulevard.
On Feb. 23 police tracked a different vehicle tied to the case to St. Paul’s Highland Aquatic Center. The vehicle parked there for hours, and two people were seen approaching nearby streetlights before returning to the car. Police later found 17 damaged streetlights in the area that would cost $85,000 to repair.
Police pulled the vehicle over and identified Thar and Blay inside. Officers noted cut copper wire was at Blay’s feet. Thar and Blay were arrested.
Blay said he makes money by following friends who take copper wire from light poles, but he denied that anyone in the car stole copper wire that night.
Copper wire thefts have cost St. Paul millions to repair in recent years, darkening streets and concerning residents. Gov. Tim Walz recently visited Como Park to learn more about the issue before urging leaders to support a bill that could limit copper wire thefts across Minnesota. The bills, authored by Rep. Athena Hollins, DFL-St. Paul, and Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, would require a commissioner-approved license for people who sell copper in Minnesota. Businesses buying copper would be required to track each sale and scan sellers’ licenses. It mirrors a 2023 bill which, Walz said, led to a 90% decrease in catalytic converter thefts. If passed into law, the copper wire theft bill could come into effect as soon as Jan. 1, 2025.
The governor said it may be 2027 or 2028 by the time the market catches up to demand.
