Man denies guilt in scrap metal score
Toolbox
Published: July 2, 2009
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — An Ascutney man denied charges Tuesday he broke into a house to steal scrap metal.
Tye W. Olson, 41, pleaded innocent in White River Junction District Court to a felony charge of burglary and misdemeanor charge of petty larceny.
He faces 16 years if convicted, but Deputy State's Attorney David Cahill filed notice of the state's intent to seek an enhanced penalty based upon Olson's criminal history, which includes three felony convictions for grand larceny for stealing catalytic converters.
May 2, court records state, police reposed to a burglary complaint on Jason Smith Road in Weathersfield. When police arrived, affidavits state, they met the daughter of the complainant, who had used her pickup to block the exit of the dead-end road and trap Olson and his pickup.
The woman told police she saw Olson loading scrap metal into the back of his truck. She said Olson offered to buy it after she said she was going to call the police, affidavits state. A neighbor told police he had seen a man with the same pickup as Olson enter the basement of the house in question several times, records state.
According to affidavits, Olson told police that after loading the metal into his truck, he had intended to speak with the owners and pay for it. He later told police he had spoken with the owners of the scrap metal a year ago and made arrangements to buy it, but waited because metal prices were too low.
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