Steve Havens, 53, was arrested on Thursday in Taft after detectives from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Rural Crime Investigation Unit, along with deputies from the Taft Substation, followed up on a string of copper wire thefts in the area.
Havens, who is currently on active probation for theft-related offenses, was contacted by authorities at the 900 block of North Lincoln Street in Taft. During the investigation, detectives discovered a basement area containing a significant amount of copper wire. This led to probable cause for his arrest.
Havens was taken into custody and booked at the Kern County Inmate Reception Center on charges of illegal possession of copper wire, possession of drugs with two prior offenses, and possession of a controlled substance.
The Kern County Sheriff’s Office noted an increase in copper wire thefts across the farmlands and oilfields in the region, with these crimes causing significant damage and costly repairs.