Florida man arrested after strapping downed light pole to car roof on highway

According to Fox news

A Florida man who strapped a light pole to the roof of his car on a highway has been arrested on charges of grand theft, authorities said.

Douglas Allen Hatley, 71, was pulled over on a Tampa roadway on Monday after another driver reported that a maroon Toyota Camry was hauling a metal pole – nearly double the length of the car – on its roof, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Hatley said he found the pole on the ground by the side of the highway and wanted to sell the metal for scrap, according to troopers.

The 71-year-old Lakeland man said he didn’t realize that it was illegal to remove broken utility and light poles from the side of the road.

Hatley was arrested and charged with grand theft. He was being held on $2,000 bond. A passenger in the car was not charged.

Jail records didn’t list an attorney who could comment on the case.

Hatley has a long rap sheet, having been arrested 48 times in Florida since 1971 on charges such as grand theft, burglary and probation violation, the paper reported, citing state criminal history records.

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