Barnstable police stepped up patrols after receiving 16 reports of copper theft in Barnstable beginning January 4, according to a press release.
While checking houses on Bay St. in Osterville February 21 Patrolman Steve Everett noticed a missing spout on one of the homes that had been in tact during an earlier patrol. Everett began to check nearby homes and located a suspicious car that allegedly had a pry bar on the front seat in plain view. The car was registered to Peter Strazzullo, 35 of Sandwich.
After watching the car for some time a second vehicle pulled up and quickly sped off.
Police stopped the vehicle and questioned Strazzullo who was a passenger in the car.
When questioned by police Strazzullo confessed to stealing copper in the area for the last two months and selling it to a Middleboro metal recycler. Strazzullo told police he fled Bay St. on foot when he spotted Patrolman Everett. Police found a large amount of stolen copper in the truck of Strazzullo’s car.