3 men charged in Milwaukee streetlight copper wire theft; one identified as the “Green Goblin’ and his accomplices allegedly stole thousands
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – City leaders say three men, including one identified as the “Green Goblin," have been arrested in connection to streetlight copper wire thefts in Milwaukee that resulted in major power outages.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD), the Department of Public Works (DPW), and the Milwaukee County district attorney addressed reporters on Monday, Oct. 26 at the Police Administration Building.
“This is nonviolent crime that has a reverberating impact on thousands of people in our neighborhoods in this city," District Attorney Kent Lovern said.
Over the past two years, thieves have stolen more than $830,000 worth of copper wire from the city through roughly 250 heists. The thieves break into underground junction boxes and streetlight bases to strip copper wiring and sell it to scrap yards, according to court documents.
Three men have been charged in this case, with charges connected to stealing copper wire. One of the men, Alvin Clifton Harris, 51, was identified by another man arrested as the “Green Goblin."
According to court documents, the men arrested alongside Harris referred to him as the “Green Goblin” because of the color of his vehicle and "vicious" demeanor.
The other two men charged, Mario Gill, 55, and Daryll Harton, 58, also face felony charges for their connection to stealing copper wires.
“Here we have a guy working in conjunction with two others, that we know of, stealing thousands of dollars of property and doing it in a way that causes taxpayers to pay and creating an unsafe environment for our citizens to live in,” MPD Assistant Chief Paul Lough said.
“I want to be clear. The city takes these thefts seriously and we will not look the other way when people break the law and they steal. They steal. They make the decision to steal our resources, that puts a burden on our neighborhoods and on our taxpayers,” Johnson said.
Lough said he believes the arrest of these individuals will make a “huge dent” in these incidents in Milwaukee.