ASHEBORO N.C. – Two people were arrested last week near the Randolph County Agricultual Site for allegedly stealing telephone wire in the area.
Last week, on December 8th, 2022, deputies with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office were patrolling on US Hwy 64 E, just outside the Asheboro city limits when they observed a vehicle pulling out from a trail that leads to the future site of the Randolph County Agricultural Center. According to the Sheriff’s Office deputies were aware that there had been several larcenies reported in the area in recent months, including recent theft of telephone wire.
The officers were able to pull the vehicle over for a traffic stop. During that stop deputies noticed a large amount of telephone cable in the bed of the truck that was covered in fresh mud. The deputy also noticed that the driver also had ‘what appeared to be fresh mud similar to the mud on the wire’. The Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as Justin Davis Phillips, and the passenger as Aaron Steven Coble, who were both were detained.
Additional deputies arrived and went to the site where the subjects were observed leaving in order to investigate where the wire had come from. They advised that they had located a section of telephone wire that had been damaged and taken from that location. Police took photos before both subjects were transported to the Randolph County Jail where the magistrate found probable cause for charges of felony injuring utility wires/fixture, felony possession of stolen goods/property, felon injury to property to obtain nonferrous metal and misdemeanor injury to real property.
Coble was issued a $10.000 secured bond. Phillips was also charged with misdemeanor driving while license revoked –impaired revoked. He was issued a $5,000 secured bond. Both have a first appearance December 9, 2022, in Randolph County District Court.
Criminal Investigations was contacted and advised of the incident due to having other active cases involving wiring being stolen from the area. The investigation is ongoing.