Man Charged With Cell Tower Site Break-Ins in Patterson and Kent – PATTERSON RESIDENT STOLE COPPER FIXTURES –

Mr. Brian Windover, aged 38, of 1087 Route 311 in Patterson, is accused of breaking into the tower site shelters and stealing several copper grounding bars from inside the facilities. He allegedly committed the break-ins at a cell tower located along Concord Road in Patterson on July 23rd, at another tower along Route 301 in Kent on July 27th, and at a third tower along Ludingtonville Road in Patterson on August 14th.

Upon investigating the July 27th theft, Sheriff’s Office investigators obtained images of the suspect’s vehicle from a security camera video recording. On August 14th, Sheriff’s Investigator Randall Hill was driving an unmarked patrol car along Ludingtonville Road when he observed a car matching the suspect’s vehicle enter the cell tower property there. Investigator Hill checked more closely and caught the defendant in the act of unlawfully entering that facility. Upon further casework by Investigator John Alfano, the defendant was connected to the two earlier thefts and was arrested for all three capers.

Mr. Windover has been charged with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, and possession of burglar’s tools. He was arraigned in the Town of Kent Justice Court on August 15th, where Justice J. Peter Collins remanded him to the county jail and set bail at $5,000.00 cash or $10,000.00 bail bond on the Kent charge and additional bail in the same amounts for the Patterson charges. The defendant remains held in the jail as of the time of this News Release. A mugshot photograph of the defendant accompanies this Release.

Investigations are ongoing into other similar thefts of copper fixtures from cellular towers in the area. Owners and operators of cellular tower facilities who have experienced such thefts in recent months are encouraged to report the incidents to police authorities.