LAMAR COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - The Perry County Sheriff’s Department has taken seven people into custody that they suspect were part of a copper-stealing operation.

According to Perry County Investigator Edward Bolton, 560 feet of 200 pair copper wire was stolen from AT&T poles in Richton. The wire is worth about $3,000.

On Sunday, June 1, AT&T had service issues around 10 p.m. The next day, a crew inspected the area near Central Baptist Church. They tried to fix the problem but couldn’t find it. On Wednesday, the crews returned and saw that someone had stolen the wire.

This is when AT&T called the Perry County Sheriff’s Department. The Jones County Sheriff’s Department was asked to assist with the case.

That night, deputies patrolled Highway 15 North. They saw several people working all

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