Pine Bluff Man Arrested for Months-Long Copper Wire Theft Spree

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – In a major breakthrough, the Pine Bluff Police Department has apprehended a 34-year-old man, identified as John Cody Mayberry, who has been accused of stealing copper wires from various locations in the city over the course of several months.

The investigation started on Monday, January 1, when the police department received a call from an alert citizen reporting suspicious activity. The caller informed the authorities that Mayberry was seen cutting large amounts of AT&T wire in the vicinity of West 8th Avenue.

Promptly, officers from the Pine Bluff Police Department initiated patrolling in areas where the thefts had taken place, with the objective of apprehending Mayberry. Their efforts paid off on Tuesday, January 9, when an officer spotted a man matching Mayberry’s description on West 6th Avenue around 8:45 p.m. Subsequently, the officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle Mayberry was traveling in, which led to a pursuit.

After a successful pursuit, Mayberry was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Jefferson County Detention Center. He is facing charges including criminal attempted theft, impairing operation of vital public facility/incapacitating the operator, and other related offenses.

Furthermore, investigators from the Pine Bluff Police Department suspect that Mayberry may be connected to previous copper thefts. In September 2023, the department noticed a rise in copper theft incidents that followed a similar pattern. As a result, officers increased their patrolling efforts in the area.

During the increased patrolling, another individual was detained in September for stealing spools of copper wire from AT&T. The stolen spools were reported to be valued at more than $8,500, according to AT&T representatives.