A repeat copper thief is facing a list of charges after he stole nearly $60,000 in copper from cell towers across the city.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) Specialized Property Crimes detectives began investigating when a suspect was caught on camera breaking into electrical sites and cell towers across the city. The suspect stole valuable ground wires used to power the equipment during an outage. In total, he made out with $58,000 worth of copper.
Detectives worked hard to identify the man. Using every investigative tool available, detectives named the suspect as 45-year-old Jack Depetris.
Depetris was arrested on Friday, September 25, 2026, for multiple charges of Burglary, Grand Theft with Property Damage Over $1,000, and Dealing in Stolen Property.
These copper wire thefts could have created a danger to the community, causing widespread service outages.
As a reminder, entering or tampering with critical infrastructure sites is illegal. To report, please call JSO's non-emergency number at
904.630.0500.
To view the post regarding this arrest on JSO's social media platforms, please click on one of the following links:
Facebook | Instagram
Photo Caption: Arrested: Man Arrested for Stealing Nearly $60,000 in Copper. Anyone with information about this case is asked to report it to police by calling 904.630.0500. [IMAGE: Left: booking photo for Jack Depetris, 45. Right: Evidence photo, JSO Logo]