Firefighter helps catch suspected copper thieves on his burned Mark West Springs Road property

The suspected copper-thieving women wore hard hats and reflective vests with fake business logos to appear legitimate, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.|
RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Two women went to jail Monday night after being found with copper pipes and wiring from a Mark West Springs Road property burned in the October Tubbs fire, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.

A local firefighter helped catch the two women after being alerted by a neighbor that someone was on his property, Sheriff’s Sgt. Travis Koeppel said Tuesday.

The firefighter, who wasn’t identified, headed to the site and found two women with a pickup bed full of burned pipes and wiring. He called deputies about 5:30 p.m. and used his vehicle to block the women from driving away.

An investigation found the women had taken the damaged copper and deputies arrested Allyn Sullivan, 57, of Forestville and Verda Roser, 47, of San Francisco on suspicion of grand theft and conspiracy, Koeppel said.

They were booked into the Sonoma County Jail but released early Tuesday after posting bail.

Mark West Springs Road was the path taken by the massive Tubbs fire Oct. 8, 9 and 10, as it burned from Calistoga into Santa Rosa, devouring thousands of homes.

-Randi Rossmann

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