They Cut Down 33 Hydro Poles in the Middle of Nowhere — Then Tried to Vanish with $100K Worth of Copper
In a daring copper heist that could’ve shut down power in parts of Northern Ontario, thieves allegedly chopped down 33 hydro poles in a remote area — and stripped them for copper worth nearly $100,000.
Now, four men have been arrested after Ontario Provincial Police tracked the suspects across multiple townships.
Between May 1 and May 7, suspects drove deep into Silverfields Road in Coleman Township, near Cobalt, and used tools to bring down dozens of hydro poles like they were chopping trees. The poles connected to the Hound Chute Hydro Generating Station — a critical part of local infrastructure.
Once the poles were on the ground, the suspects allegedly removed and took off with the copper wiring.
4 Men Charged in Massive Utility Theft
After a sweeping investigation involving the Temiskaming OPP, the regional crime unit, forensic teams, and intelligence officers, the following individuals were arrested:
• Jeffrey Belenger, 39, of Hudson Township
• Lance Laferriere, 42, of Thornloe
• Patrick Denomme, 34, of Temiskaming Shores
• James Kirkey, 51, of Casey Township
All four face multiple charges including theft over $5,000, mischief, trafficking in stolen goods, and possession of stolen property. Some also face additional counts of theft under $5,000 and mischief under $5,000.
Released with Court Dates Pending
The suspects were released and are set to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Haileybury later in 2025.
Police say this level of organized infrastructure theft is rare — but not isolated — as copper wire theft continues to rise across the province. Investigators are still seeking additional information from the public.
