Police have charged a man from Cumberland County, N.S., after wire was stolen from power trucks that were in Amherst to restore power following post-tropical storm Fiona.
In a release, the Amherst Police Department said officers began their investigation Monday “after receiving a complaint that wire from power trucks, which had been parked overnight at a local motel, had been stolen.”
The release said with help from the public, officers were able to make an arrest within an hour of receiving the complaint.
It said officers executed a search warrant on an Amherst residence, which resulted in the seizure of two full rolls of copper wire, eight partial rolls of copper wire, a “small amount” of silver wire and various tools.
“Some of the seized items will be returned to Nova Scotia Power immediately to ensure that it gets to communities and individuals who are still without power,” the release said.
Wayne Douglas Porter, 55, was charged with possession of stolen property. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in Amherst Provincial Court for that charge, as well as other outstanding charges, on Wednesday.
The release said the investigation continues and additional charges are pending.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, there were still more than 13,000 Nova Scotia Power customers without power as a result of the storm, 984 of whom are in the Amherst area.