Prineville man held in copper, tool thefts from former mill

A 40-year-old Prineville man faces several theft and burglary charges, accused of stealing copper wire, tools and other items on several recent entries into the closed Woodgrain Millwork plant, police said Tuesday.

Officers arrested Steven Lee Woods on Sunday as he left the fenced mill facility at 1948 North Main Street, police Capt. Larry Seymour.

Police had been investigating crimes on several occasions on the Woodgrain property over the past two weeks, Seymour said.

Woods was lodged in the Crook County Jail held on Washington County theft warrant and facing new felony charges of first-degree aggravated theft and second-degree felony, as well as misdemeanor charges of first-degree criminal trespass, second-degree theft, second-degree criminal mischief and tampering with evidence.

Police and sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant Monday at a trailer on Northwest Terrace Lane, the residence of Woods and a “known associate,” Amanda (Mandi) Wiederholt, 38, also of Prineville, Seymour said.

During the raid, police found numerous items related to the crimes, as well as suspected heroin, he said.

They included various amounts of copper wire, a large amount of stripped copper wire insulation, stolen tools, copper fittings, mill equipment and drug paraphernalia. Seymour estimated the loss in the case at more than $10,000.

Police are seeking Wiederholt as a person of interest in the investigation. Seymour urged anyone who knows of her location to not contact her in any way. Instead, call Prineville police at 541-447-4168, send a personal message on Facebook or email the case agent, Officer James Young, at jyoung@prinevillepd.org.