2 men accused of stealing copper wire after Collier County deputies stop suspicious U-Haul

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. —

Two men were arrested in Collier County on Wednesday after deputies stopped a suspicious U-Haul. The men are accused of attempting to steal copper wire.

According to an arrest report from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, on Wednesday deputies responded to calls about a suspicious U-Haul truck with no lights on. When they arrived to the Immokalee Road and 4th Street Northeast intersection, deputies noticed a U-Haul making a five-point turn with hazards on near a construction site.

Deputies say they learned that two passengers of the U-Haul, Jordan Hernandez, 24, and another person, were suspects in an active investigation for the burglary of an unoccupied structure, grand theft of $20,000-$100,000 and grand theft of a construction site. Deputies also say they noticed the smell of burnt marijuana in the U-Haul.

When deputies made contact, they saw three occupants in the U-Haul and a ski mask on the ground, the report said. After detaining them on suspicion of a crime being committed, deputies asked the occupants of the U-Haul questions.

When the driver of the U-Haul, Marshall Coram, 21, was asked where the rental agreement for the U-Haul was, he reportedly said it was not with him. The report says that Coram directed deputies to Hernandez's family's property, where Coram said his truck was parked with the rental agreement inside.

A separate team of deputies went to the property on 33rd Avenue Northeast and found the truck, the U-Haul rental agreement, bolt cutters and freshly cut copper wire in the truck bed, the report says.

The report says Hernandez told deputies that the copper on the truck bed was from a construction site in Fort Myers that was being thrown out, so, they took it. Hernandez also reportedly told deputies that the men were scrappers and only took stuff from dumpsters.

The report says that Hernandez admitted the men were wearing ski masks to conceal their identity as they took the copper wire.

When deputies asked Coram what the bolt cutters, copper wire and U-Haul rental agreement were doing in his truck, he reportedly denied knowing anything about copper wire and any involvement in any theft.

Deputies say that because the men did not dispel their belief that a crime was about to be, was being, or has already been committed both men were arrested. They were transported to the Naples Jail Center.

Coram is facing a loitering and prowling charge.

Hernandez is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary of an unoccupied structure and grand theft worth $20,000 or more, and less than $100,000.

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