Engaged couple accused in theft of $4,000 in wire
BUTLER TWP — A Facebook post advertising Romex wire for sale helped lead to felony and other charges against a pair of suspected shoplifters, police said.
The couple — Eric D. Letcher Jr., 36, of Summit Township and Samantha Jo Ray, 31, of Farrell, Mercer County — are accused of stealing nearly $4,000 worth of the electrical wire from the Lowe's store at Moraine Pointe Plaza.
On four separate occasions between Dec. 4 and Jan. 2, Butler Township police said, the duo made off with more than 14,000 feet of Romex wire.
Police on Wednesday obtained arrest warrants for Letcher and Ray.
A loss prevention employee for Lowe's on Jan. 4 apparently provided a key clue to investigators, who already had store surveillance photos of the suspects but no names.
The employee was monitoring social media and came upon a Facebook page for Samantha Jo Letcher, who was advertising 1,000 feet of new Romex wire for sale, police said.
The post included a photo of the wire, a brand of residential wiring that is commonly referred to in the trade as “nonmetallic sheathed cable.”
The woman's Facebook page also included a photo of herself and Dean Letcher, who she identified as being her fiancé.
Police knew that Dean Letcher is Eric Letcher's alias, according to court documents.
Investigators said they eventually confirmed the couple's photo on the Facebook page were the same two people seen shoplifting rolls of wire at the Moraine Pointe Plaza Lowe's store.
Letcher and Ray are accused of teaming up Dec. 4 to take four, 1,000-foot rolls of Romex wire out of the store in a shopping cart without paying for the merchandise.
They allegedly committed similar crimes Dec. 8, taking three 1,000-foot rolls and one 250-foot roll; Dec. 12, taking three 1,000-foot rolls; and Jan. 2, taking four 1,000-foot rolls.
In all, police said, the stolen wire was valued at $3,931.22
Both defendants are charged with two felony counts each of retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft and two misdemeanor counts each of retail theft and conspiracy to commit retail theft.
