Man caught cutting cable wires

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Vice squad officers arrested a man Tuesday after they spotted him descending from a utility pole while they were on patrol.

Tommie L. Carter, 54, of Parkcliffe Avenue, was arraigned Wednesday in municipal court before Magistrate Anthony Sertick on charges of criminal damaging and possession of criminal tools. He remains in the Mahoning County jail on $5,000 bond.

Reports said officers Jimmy Hughes Jr. and Mike Quinn were on patrol at 4:15 p.m. when they spotted Carter climbing down a pole in the 200 block of East Lucius Avenue.

When Carter spotted the officers, reports said he hurried down the pole to the ground. He had a box cutter in his hand that officers told him to drop and he did, reports said.

The officers spotted several cut and frayed wires on the top of the pole, and they said the cuts appeared to be fresh, reports said. Carter had several wires on him and also had a pair of wire cutters, vise grips and another box cutter, reports said.

Reports said police notified representatives of Time Warner Cable because it appeared that its lines had been cut. Time Warner security is investigating, reports said.

Assistant City Prosecutor Jeffrey Moliterno said investigators believe Carter was trying to steal cable television.