Keith Campbell

PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (May 7, 2012) — A man accused of stealing $400 worth of copper wire from Poor Boys’ Auto Salvage on Superior Road between Waynesville and Saint Robert faces up to seven years in state prison, according to court records.

Keith K. Campbell, 24, who lives north of Waynesville off Highway T, was charged Friday with second-degree burglary, a Class C felony, following a Thursday burglary at Poor Boys in which “a big bucket of copper was taken from inside the office” and a door was kicked open causing an estimated $250 worth of damage. He’s being held on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

Investigation by Pulaski County sheriff’s deputies on Thursday morning identified Campbell and another person as suspects and within a few hours deputies received a tip that the blue plastic tub was at Campbell’s home. A deputy intercepted Campbell’s car on Highway T, and while Campbell initially refused permission for the deputy to open his car trunk, Campbell verbally agreed to a search of his trunk after being handcuffed and being told that deputies would tow his car and obtain a search warrant for the trunk.

According to court records, Campbell identified another man who he said came to Campbell’s home at 3 a.m. Thursday with the tub of copper.

“Keith stated he recognized the tub as being (property of the Poor Boys’ owners and) stated he had scrapped copper from a friend’s house and sold it to (Poor Boys) this last week with (the early morning visitor),” according to the deputy’s report in court records. “Keith stated he argued with (the visitor and) when he woke he decided he was going to return the copper … (he) stated that’s when I pulled him over and brought him in for questioning.”

When confronted with additional evidence pointing to his presence at the business, Campbell insisted he didn’t break into the business but “was just returning the copper.”

According to court records, the investigating deputy asked “Why didn’t you call the sheriff’s department, because you knew the tub of copper belonged to (the business owners) and it was stolen,” receiving the response from Campbell that “He was no snitch.”

That response led to Campbell’s arrest. If convicted, he faces a minimum of two and maximum of seven years in state prison or a special term of one year in the county jail and a $5,000 fine.

Court records indicate no additional actions in Campbell’s case since his Friday arrest.