Perry County theft arrest follows copper line theft near roadway

Deputies said a call on July 1 led them to two men stealing copper line beside a roadway in Perry County, and one of the suspects was identified as Robert Hollon, 57, of Carcassone Road in Blackey. Perry County Sheriff’s Deputy Jimerson Montgomery responded to the scene, and Hollon was later arrested on felony charges as the case moved into the court process.

The arrest lands in a part of county life where copper theft can reach far beyond the value of the metal itself. In rural Kentucky, a line running along a road can carry communication or utility service to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure, and when it is cut or stripped, the loss can ripple outward fast. In Laurel County, the Kentucky Association of Counties said a recent copper theft disrupted internet and emergency communications across parts of central Kentucky, and Estill County Emergency Management Director Ronnie Riddell said, “Our 911 lines were actually down for approximately five hours.”

Kentucky law now treats that kind of damage more seriously than a simple property crime. Senate Bill 64, which took effect in 2025, strengthened penalties for tampering with, damaging, stealing, or unlawfully possessing copper wire and related materials. Under KRS 512.020, first-degree criminal mischief is generally a Class D felony, and it can rise to a Class C felony if it happens during a declared emergency in the affected area. In some circumstances, the law also allows misdemeanor treatment if restitution is made or repairs are completed before trial.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has tied the problem to major public costs. The agency said copper-wire theft from highway lighting systems had caused close to $380,000 in damage, with about 94,000 feet of wire stripped and roughly 500 light poles damaged in Louisville-area incidents. The cabinet has also offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to arrests and prosecutions in copper-wire theft cases.

For Perry County, the case fits the routine way many property investigations begin: a suspicious sighting, a quick response, and a citation before the legal system sorts out the charge. Sheriff Joseph Engle has said his office provides monthly reports to the media and the Perry County Fiscal Court, part of a broader emphasis on community-oriented policing.