By Nathan Hardin
nhardin@salisburypost.com
ROCKWELL — Three men have been charged with stealing copper from utility poles off N.C. 152 East last week.
According to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Hubert Ray McCarn, 46, Floyd Earnest Carlson III, 31, and Michael Lamont Purvis, 41, were charged with felony possession of burglary tools and misdemeanor conspiracy to commit larceny on May 2.
After seeing a Chevrolet pickup with a passenger waiting inside May 2, Deputy D.A. Whitley stopped and questioned the man, later identified as Carlson.
Carlson, of Mount Hope Church Road, told Whitley he was waiting for his friend, McCarn, who was in the woods.
When McCarn returned to the truck, he told Whitley he was looking for a hub cap he lost earlier that day, the report said.
In the report, Whitley noted she saw a number of wire cutting tools, copper pieces, flash lights and other parts.
Behind the seat, officers found a car radio and radio face plate.
McCarn said he purchased the parts from a scrap yard, but could not provide a receipt, the report said.
Deputies spoke to the men separately, the report said, and the men “gave different stories of what they were doing.”
Whitley learned the men had dropped off a third person, Michael Purvis, at a nearby home, the report said.
On Old Concord Road shortly after, deputies found Purvis walking down the roadside.
He told authorities, the report said, that the “three men decided to cut copper off of the power poles and trade it.”
Officers also found a silver pill bottle with heroin residue in Purvis’ possession.
Purvis was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. McCarn was also charged with trespassing.
McCarn and Purvis were in jail Monday under $7,500 and $8,000 bonds, respectively. Carlson was released after posting bond.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.
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