Police suspect 3 men of stealing $30K in copper from shuttered ATI plant in Gilpin
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A West Deer man is accused of stealing copper valued at $30,000 from an idled Allegheny Technologies Inc. plant with the help of two men who were not in custody as of Tuesday afternoon, Gilpin police said.
Police said they had not recovered the stolen copper as of Tuesday afternoon.
Gilpin police said they arrested Gerad Ogershok, 34, on Feb. 2 after receiving a complaint about a parked U-Haul blocking a garage along the township’s Bagdad Road.
Gilpin police Chief Christopher Fabec, who responded to the call, said a person who had been out treating roads that day told him about footprints in the snow leading to ATI’s now-closed Bagdad plant.
Fabec tracked the footprints and then called Allegheny Township police for help setting up a perimeter around the plant.
Fabec said he saw two men dressed in black hoodies appear from around one of the buildings. When Fabec identified himself, he said the men ran.
Ogershok was taken into custody by Gilpin officer Dalton VanWhy. A criminal complaint filed in the case said Ogershok had two hypodermic needles and 10 packets of heroin in his pockets.
Ogershok told police he was looking for anything of value at ATI, the complaint said.
When police asked him if anything was in the parked U-Haul, Ogershok said “just some tools” and a bag that was not his, adding he was on probation for previous thefts, the complaint said.
Police obtained a warrant to search the U-Haul. Fabec did not say what was in it.
On Feb. 4, ATI security called Gilpin police back to the plant and showed them the area where the copper had been cut and removed.
ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie said in an email that ATI recognizes the lure of an idled facility and noted the plant has some security.
“We have a variety of security methods to prevent theft and trespassing,” Gillespie said. “Due to the ongoing investigation and our obligation to keep all of our facilities secure, we do not disclose specifics about our security measures.
The Bagdad plant previously employed about 225 people before idling in 2015 and closing permanently in 2016.
“We appreciate the speedy response of the Gilpin Township police department and are cooperating fully as they work to apprehend and prosecute those responsible,” Gillespie said.
Ogershok faces charges of theft, burglary, trespassing, drug possession and resisting arrest. He is being held at Armstrong County Jail.
Fabec would not identify the other two suspects.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Gilpin Police at 724-845-7979.