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Darwin Awards
2006 Slush Pile

This item was recently submitted by a reader.
Should I include it in the archive?
Vote to tell me what *you* think!

Man Killed Trying to Steal Ele

2006 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance

By Robert Samuels Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, September 20, 2006; Page B02

A man who apparently was trying to steal copper electrical wire died early yesterday after breaking into a vacant school in Northeast Washington, police said.

Authorities said they believe the man touched a live wire and was electrocuted. The D.C. medical examiner will determine the cause of death after an autopsy.

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The man was found about 2:30 a.m. yesterday in the basement of Wheatley Elementary School, a 103-year-old brick building at 1299 Neal St. that hasn't housed students since 2003. Police did not release the man's name, because they were attempting to contact relatives.

Police said they believe the man was shocked after breaking into the school with an accomplice. The second man, identified as Matthew White, 47, of Silver Spring, was arrested on a burglary charge.

A grate near the main entrance was pried with what appeared to be a crowbar, said Cornell S. Brown Jr., the executive director of the D.C. school system's Office of Facilities Management.

"Someone knew what they were doing," Brown said. "The doors and windows are secured. When someone takes a crowbar and pries, I find it a little hard to combat."

Authorities said White, who was acting as a lookout, called 911 after hearing screams. The man was taken to Washington Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.

This wasn't the first break-in at the building, according to Patricia Alford-Williams, a spokeswoman for the school system. People have been breaking in regularly and finding ways to turn off the electrical current so they can steal copper wiring, she said.

The school system plans to monitor the building more vigilantly, Williams said. Officials also plan to replace plywood barriers with bricks and cement and shut off the building's power.

Garrick Simmons, 47, who lives near the school, said the building has been a trouble spot.

"Teenagers have been going in and out through these windows for years," Simmons said. "This place has been vacant for too long."

Staff writer V. Dion Haynes and staff researcher Bob Lyford contributed to this report.

Submitted on 09/20/2006

Submitted by: Claiborne White
Reference: Washington Post 09/20/2006

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

>> Moderator Scores <<

James said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
At the rate these mooks are frying themselves in this manner, Darwin will be able to devote a whole book to botched wire theft alone!!! Too common for an award, I'm afraid, but I'll wager this is the twentieth such incident this year!!! Thanks for submitting, Claiborne!


Sheryl said:
Definitely Toss: Too Common
Thanks for the story, Claiborne. This is becoming so common it's even spread to New Zealand, where apparently we have a brighter class of crook who know to turn the power off!


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