By Bruno Matarazzo Jr.
BEVERLY — Police arrested a Winchester couple yesterday on charges they stole $6,000 in electrical wire from a National Grid substation.
Police were called to the scene at 5:39 a.m. when a neighbor reported a suspicious car on Marshall Court and found Chad Audette, 36, outside a black Chevrolet loading what was later identified as heavy-gauge electrical wiring.
Inside the car was Amy M. Voltero, 30.
Patrolman John McCarthy said officers at the scene — Patrolmen Joshua Pickett, David Costa and Edward Hathon and Sgt. John Vitale — found "numerous sections of heavy-gauge electrical wire," and additional sections were nearby.
A National Grid employee responded to the substation and identified the wire. He valued the stolen wire at $6,000, but because the entire spool of wire was damaged and unusable, the actual loss is $16,000.
Police said Audette got into the substation by cutting a portion of the nearby fence. A pair of bolt cutters was found at the scene.
Audette and Voltero were each charged with larceny (more than $250) and possession of burglary tools. Audette was also charged with breaking and entering in the nighttime to commit a felony and malicious destruction of property. Voltero was charged with using a motor vehicle in a felony and accessory before the fact.
Detective David Richardson processed the crime scene for evidence.
