Roger Christian was less than a month away from being sentenced in a separate burglary case when police say they caught him breaking the law again.
This time, the 51-year-old St. Paul man was busted trying to steal copper wiring from inside city street lamps, according to the criminal complaint filed against him Thursday in Ramsey County District Court.
Christian was arrested in St. Paul Wednesday in the area of Mounds Boulevard and Urban Place after two 911 callers reported witnessing two men wearing fluorescent yellow vests pulling copper wiring from lampposts, the complaint said.
Police discovered Christian in the vicinity wearing a fluorescent shirt, hat and vest, as well a as lanyard with an ID badge for St. Paul public schools that belonged to someone else, legal documents say.
Christian put a tool in his pocket as officers approached and said he was directed by his boss for a company called City Electric to remove faulty wires from the posts, according to the complaint.
It was his understanding that the wires would be replaced, he explained to police, the charges say, and that it was his job to use a screwdriver to remove the caps from the base of the posts, pull out the wiring inside, and cut off the taped portion.
He went on to say that he was instructed to leave the bundles of wire on the boulevard for his boss to pick up later, the complaint said.
Police found a wire cutter, folding pocket knife, a live wire tester and a small amount of suspected heroin in Christian’s pockets when they searched him during his arrest, according to legal documents.
Both 911 callers were at the scene when officers arrived. One told police that he or she saw Christian and another man load the wire into a Chevrolet SUV. The individual said the man working with Christian took off in the vehicle when police arrived, the complaint said.
Police later found the SUV. Tools and an orange hard hat were reportedly inside.
In his interview with officers, Christian allegedly admitted to being addicted to heroin and having the drug in his possession at the time of his arrest.
City staff began noticing damage to light-polls last May. A public works employee reportedly saw a man wearing a safety vest cutting electrical wires from the bottoms of the posts and then removing them sometime overnight, the complaint said.
In total, authorities say they suspect Christian’s criminal activity caused about $17,000 in damages to city property.
He pleaded guilty this past April to third-degree burglary in Ramsey County District Court for his conduct in a separate case, and subsequently filed a motion arguing the judge should grant him a shorter than usual prison term when he is sentenced in August, legal documents say.
Christian has five-drug related felonies in Maryland, according to the criminal complaint.
He faces one count of first-degree damage to property, two counts of fifth-degree drug possession and one count of possession of burglary or theft tools in his most recent case.
No attorney was listed for him in court records and he could not be reached for comment.
