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HARTLEY, Iowa — Joe Gene Bailey, 42, was arrested on January 27 on second-degree theft charges after an investigation into utility meter tampering at his home at 20 N. Fifth Ave. E. in Hartley.
Bailey allegedly tampered with his electricity meter, enabling undetected power usage at his home, and removed the water meter from his basement to avoid detection, accumulating a total of approximately $2,146.83 in stolen utilities.
Second-degree theft charges apply when the stolen property’s value is between $1,501 and $10,000. Bailey is facing legal consequences for these actions.
