It takes a particular type of opportunist to survey the destruction left by Hurricane Irma and think, They probably won’t miss one more power pole. Nevertheless, Florida is known for its resourceful individuals. Deputies from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office apprehended two men on Wednesday who were in the act of transporting a 40-foot utility pole on the roof of their Kia Sorento.
As reported by WFTV News, a witness alerted an officer about two shirtless men trying to lift the pole onto their vehicle on Wednesday morning in Jacksonville. Upon arrival, the officer spotted the overloaded Kia leaving a conspicuous gap in the bridge where the pole had once stood.
The officer quickly stopped the vehicle, during which 46-year-old Victor Walter Apeler and 42-year-old Blake Lee Waller claimed they were merely trying to help by moving the pole that was obstructing traffic. However, according to Florida Times-Union, when the officer questioned why they didn’t simply roll it to the side, they had no satisfactory response.
If you’re curious about what the duo had planned for their ill-gotten gain, officers ran a search on Apeler through a pawn database and found that he had sold scrap metal to various businesses 72 times since the start of the year. Local utility company officials later estimated the value of the stolen pole at approximately $2,500, leading to both men being charged with grand theft.
Even if they had successfully escaped with the pole, finding a buyer for a public utility item would likely prove challenging. However, as the actions of Florida’s residents continually demonstrate, where there’s a will, there’s often a way.
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