Hallstead men charged with copper thefts

BY STACI WILSON

Two Hallstead area men stand charged for allegedly stealing copper wiring and selling it for drug money on multiple occasions from a Great Bend manufacturing facility.

Patrick Moser, 20, and Daniel Alicea, 31, each face multiple felony burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property charges.

Moser waived his Oct. 31 preliminary hearing in New Milford District Court. He is being held on $10,000 bail.

Alicea’s preliminary hearing was continued to Nov. 14. Alicea was released on $1,000 unsecured bail.

According to police, the two men broke into Eco International, inGreat Bend, and stole copper from the facility. Pictures of Moser and Alicea were captured on security cameras.

Police said that although the loss of copper was significant at about $4,000, Gregory Voorhees, of Eco International, reported that the more expensive loss connected to the burglaries was the replacement of equipment damaged by the men.

The current damage estimate, police reported, is about $250,000.

Moser told police he had stolen copper from Eco International on about 20 occasions by himself and would take the wire to scrap yards inNew Yorkand then use the money to buy heroin.

Moser also told police that he and Alicea broke into the facility together about six times. He also told police it was Alicea who introduced him to stealing copper from Eco International