JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. - The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office announced felony charges against two suspects accused of stealing communication wires in an apparent attempt to find scrap metal.

Authorities identified Andrew Underwood and John Leach as the two suspects accused of stealing wires. Leach was given a $25,000 cash-only bond.

Underwood is jailed without bond.

Grant Bissell, public safety information coordinator for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said it’s not unusual to see judges deny bond in these cases.

He said wire thefts have become a problem across the country.

“Hospitals, schools, 911 dispatch centers—these are all being affected by these lines that are being cut that carry so much critical data,” Bissell said.

Earlier this year, authorities responded to a fibe

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