Hunter
09/12/25
An Iowa City man was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after being accused of stealing copper wire from a construction site.
A Johnson County Sheriff’s deputy was called to the site on Maddie Lane in Tiffin just before 12:30pm, where Kline Electric had been installing power boxes for residential buildings. The company representative reportedly showed the deputy video of 74-year-old Maximo Sanchez-Sanchez of Cross Park Avenue using bolt cutters to cut the copper line from one of the power towers.
An interview with Sanchez-Sanchez allegedly had him admitting to cutting the copper from two of the boxes. A manager at Kline Electric stated he wanted to press charges, and the man was taken into custody.
It was estimated that each power box cost approximately $750 to build, with the copper wiring accounting for between $300 and $350 each.
Sanchez-Sanchez was charged with 4th degree Criminal Mischief and could be sentenced to up to a year in jail if convicted.