Muddy Road Thwarts Copper Thieves in Maryland

Anne Arundel County police say a copper theft from a Hanover, Md., business was thwarted when the suspects’ pickup truck got stuck on a muddy road.

Officers were called to Park Circle Drive late Wednesday for a report of a copper theft and found a tow truck pulling a Ford pickup truck from a wooded area.

Police say 51-year-old Robert Oliff of Laurel, 41-year-old Dennis Asmussen of Jessup and a third person cut their way into a fenced storage area and took copper cables from generators. Their truck got stuck in mud when they tried to leave, so they called a tow company.

Oliff and Asmussen were arrested and charged with burglary, theft, destruction of property and other offenses. Police say a third suspect fled before officers arrived.