2 plead not guilty in Campbell water theft

CAMPBELL

The two men accused of stealing water from a Wilson Avenue fire hydrant this weekend both pleaded not guilty to charges of theft and tampering with the city's water system in Campbell Municipal Court this morning.

Phillip G. Stratus, 26, of Oxford Avenue in Niles, and Leonard W. Villers, 58, of Stanford Avenue in Youngstown, both of Odyssey Environmental Services LLC, will next appear in court Sept. 26. No additional bond was set by Judge Patrick P. Cunning. The two were each held on a $2,500 bond in the Campbell jail pending their mandatory court appearance.

Stratus and Villers were arrested at 2:30 p.m. Saturday after city police spotted the men filling up a tanker truck from the hydrant. The men told police they were cleaning catch basins for the city and had permission to take as much water as they needed, but could not provide a work order. No water meter was attached to the hydrant to measure the amount of water being transferred.

City officials contacted by police said they had no knowledge of the company's being permitted to take work from the city's fire hydrants.

Following the men's court appearance, Scott C. Essad, lawyer for Odyssey, called the entire situation a "silly misunderstanding." He said the company has been working with the city of Campbell in the same capacity since 2008, and that the city had requested cleaning of the catch basins.

"The paper trail is not the best, but that's not Odyssey's fault," Essad said.

In court, Essad requested a speedy return of the company's truck, which he said is one of only three. Its absence prevents employees from being able to do their jobs, he added.