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Police: Man Stole Copper From LIRR Tracks, Snagged Thursday Morning Commute

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Hicksville man was charged Friday with stealing copper cable that belonged to the Long Island Rail Road eight different times this month.

The latest incident on Thursday caused major delays on the Huntington/Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma branches, Metropolitan Transportation Authority police said.

Bernard Jenkins, 58, was arrested by MTA police Friday morning, police said. He was taken into custody after being questioned when he came to in Nassau County in connection with earlier unrelated charges for the same alleged crime, police said.

MTA police Chief Michael Coan said Jenkins was arrested Friday when he admitted to thefts of copper cable along the LIRR Main Line in Nassau County between Oct. 16 and Thursday.

Jenkins was accused of stealing copper at School Street in Westbury on Oct. 16, at the Carle Place substation and at Roslyn Road in Mineola the following day, again at Roslyn Road on Oct. 24, and a second time at Carle Place this past Monday.

The most recent incidents happened on Thursday at Carle Place, and at Willis Avenue in Mineola, police said.

Most of the vandalism had no immediate impact on train service, and was discovered during regular inspections – indicating that Jenkins knew how to take cooper and get away safely, police said.

But when 300 feet of cable were stolen on Oct. 30, a small track fire broke out and damaged some rail, police said. Trains kept running in the area during the Thursday morning rush, but speed was reduced and many westbound trains were delayed, police said.

Copper theft from the LIRR is dangerous given the high voltage on the tracks, but MTA police have made numerous arrests for the crime, police said. There have been 27 incidents of copper theft in the LIRR system and 11 arrests this year, compared with 56 incidents and 13 arrests last year, police said.

Jenkins was charged with six counts of grand larceny and two counts of petit larceny, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's office.

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