TWO FROM P C CHARGED WITH STEALING COPPER

TWO PORT CHARLOTTE RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED FRIDAY IN CONNECTION WITH THE THEFT OF NEARLY 3300 FEET OF COPPER WIRING FROM NEW STREET LIGHT POLES LAST WEDNESDAY.  DEPUTIES SAY WARRANT SQUAD DETECTIVES CAUGHT UP WITH 28 YEAR OLD THOMAS RADELL LEAVING A RESIDENCE ON BERSELL AVENUE.  HE WAS WANTED ON WARRANTS FOR DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE AND RETAIL THEFT IN DESOTO COUNTY.  HE SPED AWAY FROM DETECTIVES, BUT A CANINE UNIT FOUND HIS CAR A SHORT TIME LATER IN A DRIVEWAY ON HARRIET STREET.  OFFICERS COULD SEE A ROLL OF STRIPPED COPPER IN PLAIN VIEW IN THE BACK SEAT, AND HE WAS PICKED UP WALKING NEARBY.  THEY WENT BACK TO HIS BERSELL AVENUE RESIDENCE WHERE THE OWNER ALLOWED A SEARCH OF THE ROOM HE AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, 32 YEAR OLD KELLIE ORDISH RENTED.  THERE THEY FOUND BLACK WIRE CASINGS IDENTICAL TO THE ONES IN THE CAR.  A SEARCH WARRANT WAS OBTAINED AND MORE WIRE WAS LOCATED IN A SHED OUTSIDE THE HOME.  BOTH RADELL AND ORDISH ARE BEHIND BARS CHARGED WITH GRAND THEFT, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA, AND POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA.  RADELL WAS ALSO CHARGED WITH FLEEING TO ELUDE POLICE, RESISTING AN OFFICER, AND WAS SERVED THE DESOTO COUNTY WARRANT.