Thieves Snagged Stealing Copper Wire and Gasoline

A Stanislaus County duo is scheduled to appear in court Thursday for allegedly swiping copper wire from a utility yard and siphoning gas from rental trucks in the 3800 block of First Street in Livermore.

Randal Wakefield, 54, of Hughson, and Stephanie Miller, 25, of Ceres, were taken into custody Sunday morning after a thwarted stealing spree and a failed attempt to ditch the cops, said Livermore Police Sgt. Keith Graves.

Officers responded to a 7 a.m. call of a theft in progress at a truck-rental business, after a citizen reported seeing a man and woman siphoning gasoline from rental trucks and putting it in their vehicle, while also helping themselves to copper wire from the neighboring utility site, Graves said.

First on the scene was Officer Rich Hill, who pulled his weapon and ordered the individuals to the ground. The suspects, however, jumped into their vehicle with Miller as the driver and Wakefield as passenger, and tried to flee, Graves said. 

"The man is telling the female, 'Just go, just go,'" Graves said.

After the immediate arrival of a second squad car and officer Kevin Little, "the female decided to give up," Graves said.

The pair were arrested and taken into custody on grand and petty theft charges, along with additional counts for allegedly possessing drug paraphernalia, Graves said.

The police recovered $2,100 worth of copper wire that Pacific Gas & Electric Co. officials confirmed as utility property, Graves said.

The suspects are being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin. Wakefield's bail is $42,500, while Miller's is set at $22,500, according to Alameda County Sheriff's Office records.

Wakefield and Miller are to enter pleas at 2 p.m. in Department 701 of the Gale-Schenone Hall of Justice in Pleasanton.