Melissa Marquina-Melchor, 30, and Karen J. Lopez-Ramirez, 30, both of Chicago, were arrested after Portage police said they found them loading utility wire into the trunk of a vehicle near Samuelson Road and Portage Avenue late Wednesday night.
According to court documents, police responded around 10:57 p.m. September 2 to a report of suspicious people collecting wire near utility poles. Officers reported seeing the women loading utility wire into the trunk of the vehicle.
Police said Marquina-Melchor was driving and Lopez-Ramirez was the passenger. According to police, Marquina-Melchor said they did not know they could not take the wire from the side of the road. She allegedly told police Lopez-Ramirez said they could sell the copper in the wire for money.…