Pa. couple stole copper to pay for wedding

ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. - Police say a western Pennsylvania couple cut down copper wire from 18 utility poles because they needed money to pay for their wedding.

According to a North Sewickley Township police report, the couple - April Cater, 24, and Joseph Russell, 23, of Eastvale - removed the transformer ground wires (valued at $7,146) on August 9, four days before their wedding, and sold it to a salvage company.

The Beaver County Times reports Russell told police he had lost his job at an auto parts store and needed the money.

The couple faces a preliminary hearing Oct. 24 on theft, criminal conspiracy and criminal mischief charges.

PennPower officials told the paper repairing the utility poles will cost nearly $400 each.