PAINT TWP., Pa. (EYT) — Two men face theft and related charges stemming from an incident that occurred at a business located in Paint Township, Clarion County.

According to court documents, Clarion-based State Police filed criminal charges against 26-year-old Jacob D. Vasbinder, of Rimersburg, and 56-year-old Barry Lynn Steele Sr., of Chicora.

According to a criminal complaint, around 3:07 a.m. on August 12, a private investigator contacted PSP Clarion to report a theft of copper wire in progress at Colony Homes located on Paint Blvd., in Paint Township.

Trooper Norris, of PSP Clarion, responded to the scene and located a red duffel bag containing scrap wire next to a dumpster in the rear of the facility where the theft was supposedly occurring. He made entry into the facility underneath a fence. Jacob Vasbinder was discovered peeking out of a dumpster and was taken into custody. Trooper Norris discovered two additional red duffle bags containing scrap wire inside the dumpster, the complaint states.

Vasbinder waived his Miranda warnings and stated that Barry Steele Sr. contacted him, and the two agreed to steal scrap from Colony Homes. Steele drove Vasbinder to the facility in a red Chevrolet Tracker. Steele dropped him off, and he crawled under the fence at the rear of the facility. Once inside, he began filling the red duffel bags with scrap wire from the dumpster he was found in. Steele was to pick him back up at 4:15 a.m., according to the complaint.

Steele was stopped at the Country Fair gas station in Paint Township in the Chevrolet Tracker. He waived his Miranda warnings and corroborated Vasbinder’s statements that the two planned to steal copper wire from Colony Homes. He stated that the bags and cart in the rear of his vehicle were used to transport the stolen scrap, the complaint continues.

Vasbinder and Steele were arraigned at 9:55 a.m. on August 12 on the following charges:

– Criminal Trespass-Enter Structure, Felony 3
– Conspiracy — Criminal Trespass-Enter Structure, Felony 3
– Theft of Secondary Metal
– Conspiracy — Theft of Secondary Metal
– Possession Instrument Of Crime W/Intent, Misdemeanor 1

Unable to post $20,000.00 monetary bail each, both men were lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on August 22 with Judge Timothy P. Schill presiding.