Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The ongoing investigation conducted by a special DPS Task Force into a string of burglary cases in Leone and other villages involving the theft of Triplex copper electricity wires owned by the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) resulted in the arrest of four individuals last week.

One of the suspects told investigators that they used the cash they received from selling the stolen copper wire to buy methamphetamine.

Other suspects in this case who were named in the court affidavit are still at large.

The four defendants who were apprehended made their initial appearance in District Court this week. They are Fetaia’i Tuigamala; Lologa Tuilagi Toilolo; Theresa Samata Ala and Tevita Ati.

The four defendants are each charged with one count of stealing, a class C felony punishable by for up to seven years, a $5,000 fine, or pursuant to A.S.C.A 46.2101, a fine equal to twice the amount of gain from the commission of said crime, up to maximum of $20,000, or both such fine and imprisonment.

Judge Elvis P. Patea set bail for each of the four at $5,000.

Preliminary examination is set for next week.

THE CASE

The charge against these defendants stems from an incident when police arrested Faafetai Jason Uili on Feb. 14, 2020 for burglary and theft involving copper wire owned by ASPA, after he tried to flee and elude them.

During the investigation, Uili revealed that he had an accomplice by the name of F.L (one of the suspects that is still at large). Uili also revealed to investigators a second accomplice by the name of Lologa Tuilagi Toilolo (a co-defendant in this case) that he worked with on a separate copper wire theft operation.

After receiving the information from Uili, DPS Depty Commissioner Falanaipupu Taase Sagapolutele created a special task force to investigate a string of burglary cases in numerous villages where in some instances they cut live copper wires which caused power outrages in numerous villages.

Toilolo was the first person investigators interviewed regarding this case in February at the Fagatogo Headquarters. Toilolo told investigators that F.L was always involved with him when he stole wires by cutting live ASPA electricity lines. A majority of time, Toilolo and F.L used Toilolo’s truck to look for Triplex copper electricity wires. Once they cut the wires, they would bring the wires to be weighed at a scrap metal company, and sell the wire to the company for cash.

According to Toilolo, it all started around last October 2019 when F.L; Setu Ati (co-defendant) and he planned to cut copper wire to get money to buy methamphetamine. He and F.L picked up Ati and the three of them would go around villages — including Aoloau and Aasu looking for copper wire to cut. He also instructed Ati to get a machete to use during their operation.

When they got near to one of a family’s residence in Aasu, they pulled into the driveway of an abandoned building owned by the Laurenson family so they could cut the copper wire that was attached to the utility pole. F.L walked towards the building and allegedly cut the copper wire from the pole and they continued on to another area in the same village.

It was disclosed that the copper wire that was cut was the service that the family paid for and the wire was used to service electricity to the building. Toilolo said the copper wire they stole was 12 feet long and they sold it to One Recycle Scrap Metal for $35 and used the money to buy methamphetamine.

Toilolo also revealed to investigators that the next day, they visited the Laurenson property a second time to steal more copper wire. But when they arrived at the property, a family member confronted them for being on the property, and they immediately left.

The second incident occurred on Jan. 28, 2020 when F.L; Toilolo and two other co-defendants, Ati and Tuigamala went to Mapusaga Fou to continue their copper stealing operation in order to buy more methamphetamine.

While they were in the Mapusaga Fou area, they observed copper wires hanging low at the side of the road, making it more easy to reached. They stopped their car and F.L and Tuigamala went down and cut the wires by climbing a tree that was close to the live wires. Toilolo told investigators that he heard a loud audible humming sound immediately after the wire was cut and that is how he confirmed that the wire was live.

The 20-foot wire was the property of the ASPA and once again they sold it to One Recycle Scrap Metal business, this time for $55; and the four men used the money to buy meth.

Another incident occurred on the following day, Jan. 29 when Toilolo, Tuigamala and F.L went to Pavaiai and the Canco Hill area to abandoned homes to steal more copper wire.

Toilolo recalled one occasion where F.L climbed the roof of an abandoned home in Pavaiai and cut the ASPA service wire from the overhead service of the house to the utility pole. The copper wire was 25 ft long.

It was on the same day when the three men drove to Vaitogi and met co-defendant, Theresa Samata Ala, where they informed her about their copper wire operation to get money for meth. Ala agreed to participate and told the four men that “she was up for it.”

The four men and their female friend, Ala then went to an abandoned home in Vaitogi where F.L cut the copper electricity wire from the outside panel of the house and later cut the other end from the utility pole. They then immediately left the area to avoid being seen and sold the 25 ft long stolen copper wire for $35. The money was used to buy methamphetamine.

Another incident occurred on Feb. 5th when Toilolo and F.L went behind the Islands Choice Building in Tafuna and cut a 25 ft long copper wire and sold it for $60— again using the money to buy methamphetamine.

Toilolo told investigators the majority of times they sold stolen copper wire, they would buy meth to smoke.

Investigators interviewed Toilolo’s wife, where she stated that there were two occasions where she went with her husband to sell wire to One Recycle in Iliili. She asked her husband where he got the wire, but he didn’t answer.

Investigators were also able to interview another witness who told investigators that there was one incident he remembered when he asked Toilolo to transport his crops to the market. Toilolo and F.L came to pick up his crops and at one point, Toilolo stopped the vehicle at the Islands Choice in Tafuna where Toilolo and F.L went behind the building for few minutes and returned with copper wire.

A member from the Laurenson family confirmed to investigators that copper wire from their house was stolen. The copper wire from their home was 39 feet long and based on a quote from ACE, the copper wire cost $272.61.

Co-defendant Ati told investigators that F.L was the one who initiated this plan to steal copper wire from family homes and sell it to get money to buy methamphetamine.

Investigators were able to obtain information from ASPA regarding the stolen copper wire. Based on the information provided to investigators, ASPA stated that the actual measurement of the lengths of Triplex copper wire missing from all of the locations was 1,147 feet valued at $7,283 U.S dollars.

Police are still looking for the other two people allegedly involved in this matter, whose names were mentioned in the affidavit. They are F.L and E.E.