3 accused of stealing nearly $3K worth of power by wiring line from pole to home, records allege

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Three people are facing charges for allegedly stealing nearly $3,000 worth of power, according to records.

Records identified the suspects as Victor Manuel Acosta, Mari Franklin, and Rodolfo Ruben Martinez. It was not immediately known how they were tied to one another.

Court documents state the trio diverted power from an electrical pole by connecting wiring to the pole and running the connection into one of the suspects' homes, stealing about $2,927.14 worth of electricity. They were charged with criminal mischief, a third-degree felony.

Neighbors told ABC13 they've seen extension cords out in the open since last year, running from the base of the light pole to a house.

"That's messed up because people got to pay for their power, and somebody else is stealing power for free," one neighbor said.

The crime went undetected for months until this weekend, when all three were arrested on June 15 and booked into Harris County jail. They all face two to 10 years in prison.

With the situation going on for some time, it's unclear how they were caught, yet a neighbor said one of the suspects denies any involvement.

"He said he (doesn't) blame himself. He blames the other guy because he says he's a church guy," the neighbor said.

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