September 28, 2009
Gary Davidson
Public Information Officer

DEPUTIES NAB ACCUSED COPPER THIEF AT CELL TOWER

When he came across two Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies on Sunday morning, David McDonald told them he was just out for a bike ride. Problem was, it was about 3 o’clock in the morning, McDonald was wearing a green mask and sporting fresh cuts and scrapes on his shins and burglar’s tools were protruding from his pocket and waist pack. Not to mention the fact that the encounter was just down a gravel path from a cell tower west of Edgewater, where a security alarm had alerted authorities to a possible breach.

By the time deputies completed their investigation, the 35-year-old McDonald of Port Orange was under arrest for burglary, grand theft, theft of copper and possession of burglary tools. A convicted felon, McDonald also was charged with violating his probation associated with prior convictions for grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

Deputies were dispatched to the area of Cow Creek Road at about 2:41 a.m. Sunday morning to respond to an alarm call at a Verizon cell tower. As the deputies were approaching the tower, they encountered McDonald riding a bicycle away from the direction of the tower. The first thing deputies noticed was that McDonald was wearing a mask with a helmet-style flashlight on the top, was visibly perspiring and sporting fresh cuts and scrapes on his shins. The next thing they noticed was a large wrench protruding from his pocket. After securing McDonald, they also found pliers, screw drivers, wire cutters and flashlights in his pockets as well as a waist pack. A few moments later, deputies also found a duffel bag near the gate at the cell tower, and the bag was stuffed with about $500 worth of freshly-cut copper wire. McDonald was arrested and transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach.