A 43-year-old man was charged today with Class-C felony counts of copper theft and second-degree criminal property damage.

James Bronson Taylor Jr., who gave no permanent local address at booking, is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail at the main police station cellblock. He has an initial appearance scheduled at District Court tomorrow.

Taylor, who has 15 prior convictions, was arrested yesterday at 5:30 a.m. by state sheriff's deputies conducting a surveillance operation in the area of H-1 Freeway and the Makakilo Drive overpass, according to an affidavit filed at District Court.

The court document stated that deputies watched Taylor walk down the Makakilo Drive on-ramp on the west-bound shoulder of H-1 Freeway toward a street light pole marked H9 at 3:30 a.m. From a prone position, Taylor began pulling out wiring, the document stated.

Taylor ran as deputies approached and was later captured hiding under a tree.

Deputies recovered insulated copper wiring rolled up and lying on the ground near the electric pull box of pole H9, according to the affidavit.

Transportation Department electrical foreman Glenn Hamamura identified the pulled copper wire as state property. Hamamura estimated about 180 feet of wire was pulled, weighing 70 pounds. He estimated the value of the wiring at $2,000.

Under a new Hawai'i law, theft of copper is punishable by up to five years imprisonment. Second-degree criminal property damage also carries a maximum five-year sentence.