Copper Thief Caught With His Ladder Up At Joliet's Salem Village: JPD

JOLIET — Every year around Joliet, copper thieves are on the prowl. They break into empty buildings in hopes of finding valuable copper wires they can steal and sell. This weekend, the Joliet Police Department made its first copper theft arrest of 2025, taking 44-year-old Rockdale resident Michael Felker into custody on charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal trespass, criminal damage to property and possession of controlled substances.

None of the crimes are detainable under the SAFE-T-Act, so Joliet police let Felker go on his way, after giving him a notice to appear in court.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events resulted in Felker's arrest on Friday night:

At 8:38 p.m., the officers responded to the vacant Salem Village building at 1314 Rowell Avenue for a report of a burglary in progress. The officers learned that a man was seen entering the building through an open door and had not yet emerged from the building.

Officers entered the building and observed the man, later identified as Felker, standing on a ladder actively cutting copper pipes with a saw. Felker was ordered from the ladder and he was placed into custody without incident.

Felker indicated he was cutting the copper pipe in hopes of later selling it, English noted.

Upon search of Felker, the officers recovered suspected methamphetamine and heroin, English indicated.

In November 2023, Felker made Joliet Patch headlines when the Joliet police arrested him and two others near the canal. That story was headlined: Truck Stolen At Joliet Canal Business, 3 Arrests Made By Joliet PD