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Flomaton Employee Charged With Stealing Copper From The Town
April 15, 2022
A Town of Flomaton employee is facing charges after allegedly stealing copper belonging to the town.
Travis Emile Owens, 22, was charged with theft of property third degree, two counts of theft of property fourth degree and a felony ethics violation of using an official position for personal gain. He was booked into the Escambia County (AL)) Detention Center without bond.
Flomaton Town Supervisor Shaun Moye contacted the Flomaton Police Department about a bag of copper wire that was placed at a town water tower on Highway 31. Police said surveillance video showed Owens taking the bag from the town’s public works facility to the water tower.
Flomaton Police found the bag, which contacted copper tubing, and placed multiple wireless cameras to monitor it.
According to Police Chief Charles Thompson, Owens was observed using a drone as he went to the water tower after work hours, placed the bag in a personal vehicle, and drove away. He said Flomaton Police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and found Owens in possession of stolen edging blades and the copper tubing.
“It was also learned that he had also committed another theft the day prior from town in that of copper tubing,” Thompson said.
The police chief said Owens is no longer employed by the Town of Flomaton. By 3:40 p.m. Thursday, the town had posted a job listing for a public works employee starting at $12 an hour plus benefits.
Comments
35 Responses to “Flomaton Employee Charged With Stealing Copper From The Town”
Folks, nowhere does it say that HE was making $12 per hour. It says the new hire will be. He could have been making more, or he could have been making less. Either way, $12 an hour for Flomaton is actually pretty good, and many people live off a lot less. Don’t excuse theft, regardless of the wages. It’s still theft. Keep in mind, the article states that HE took the bag there, then HE went back and got (all on video) and was pulled over and had the bag AND stolen edging blades. Yes, he knew it belonged to the city of Flomaton because he took it there! He knew it didn’t belong to him. Where did he steal the edging blades from???
He had plenty of choices…don’t take that job if it didn’t pay enough, get another job to supplement that one, spend less, don’t steal. He chose to steal, now he faces the consequences.
Be for real people! $12 a hour is not the issue…the issue is that he stole and got caught. The world does not owe you a liveable wage… you get that through time, schooling, skills and persistence. He took a job, knew his wage, accepted it, and they paid it. That is that. I have worked two jobs when I was younger to keep afloat and make the LIVEABLE wage that everyone believes that they are entitled to now. Before Florida’s new required wage increases, minimum wage was slightly over $9 and no one mentioned liveable wage, now a mere 2 years later, no one wants to work for $12 an hour. With these increases comes the raising of prices for EVERYTHING, from food to housing. Be wary what you wish for and quit believing that the world owes you!
I have known him for years. I do not believe this. He has aleays been a hard working young man. And come on Flomaton…..really $12 an hour is nothing to brag about…..or be proud of. I make more than that sitting at home. And why would he have no bond? Drug dealers, rapists and others get a bond.
Personally he wouldn’t steal from anyone intentionally. He upholds positions of respect and has no need to steal freaking copper intentionally unless he didn’t know it belonged to anyone .
The comments here show a huge part of the problem in today’s society, the majority of you expect something for nothing, now I know why our country has taken such a strong turn towards communism.
I’m sorry Henry, but there is never any excuse for stealing in today’s society of handouts.
All the discussion is focused on $12 per hour wages. Nothing in the story said the focus of the story made that. The story said a job was posted to start at that wage.
For those trying to rationalize this guy stealing because he doesn’t make a living wage.
As a single mother of a young son I work as a paramedic making $18 an hour. That isn’t enough money to live on so I got a second(police Dispatcher($15)) and third job(body removals($100 a day)) to support us. I didn’t take to stealing to get ahead of the game instead I chose to do the right thing and get more jobs because that is the right thing to do. The father of my son has nothing to do with his child and doesn’t pay child support because he doesn’t see him. My point being is, I didn’t decide to steal from others to make a living. I made choices, stood by them and work as much as I have to to make a good living. It hasn’t been easy but that is what adults do.
Stop victimizing the criminal!! Go out and get as many jobs as needed till you can make a living wage.
No excuse for stealing. Yes $12 an hour is extremely low. If you cannot make it on the minimum that is offered for an entry level job, then you need to learn a trade, or get an education that makes you more marketable. So, before I get hammered for my comment, let me say, I believe there are alternatives to college, but everyone needs a marketable skill or knowledge, and that most of the time comes from some sort of formal training. Many people including myself, worked second jobs or did side work during lean times. Stealing is never the right thing to do. It is the easy way out, until you get caught.
Living Wage Calculation for Florida
1 ADULT 2 ADULTS (BOTH WORKING)
0 Children 2 Children
Living Wage $16.02 $22.09
Poverty Wage $6.19 $6.37
Minimum Wage $10.00 $10.00
@anonymous
You understand a vicious cycle…right?
CONTEMPLATING:
“a wage decent enough to pay their bills”
“And if we hire you, how much will you need to take the job?”
“I need enough to pay my bills.”
“And how much are your bills?”
“Well, I make payments on a $40,000 truck. (Because I wrecked my old one last week. Third one this year so far,) And $500 per week for gas — because I cruise a lot. And $1200 per month for restaurants, because I treat others and don’t cook And…”
“Just as soon as it’s worth it to us to pay that much to have our leaves raked, I assure you we will call you.”
“But what about my bills in the meantime?”
“As you said, those are YOUR bills. We are not up to having YOU become one of OUR bills.”
If employment is not mutually beneficial, it tends not to happen.
David for bill control
To anyone complaining about entry level jobs not paying what they deem a decent wage. Let’s just start out everyone at $20 an hour tomorrow. No experience, training., skills or knowledge necessary. When someone else comes along and is caught stealing, then what is the problem? Let me guess, they need $30 and hour. The problem is not the wage, the problem is decisions made by those earing the wage.
I cannot believe the people on here making excuses. Says a whole lot about you when you think it’s ok to steal because he didn’t make enough money to live. My parents taught us that we needed to live in our means. If he needed more money he should work two jobs.
As a business owner this is a poor excuse of a human being. Wages are discussed before hiring and he chose that wage because he took the job. If he needed more money, then he needed to get another job. If I had to guess, this probably wasn’t the first time this has taken place. I’m astonished that people will defend him even with him being caught red handed. Just because someone is one person at home or church doesn’t mean they are the same at work. We see it all the time where people live differently away from home. Good luck ever finding a job again. Anyone that runs a background check or does a little digging will turn him away for theft.
At least $12per hour is better than $0 per hour….but besides all that stealing is wrong no matter how u put it….but if u do start at $12per hour apply yourself and who knows it just may go up to more per hour. .
Henry Coe for Florida economic advisor! This dude has it figured out! Wants to give people $20 an hour while he complains about goods and services increasing.
Economics is tough
@ Poverty Wages
FYI this thief is not has not been nor ever will be an government employee
I work 3 jobs….3 kids and a deadbeat dad that dont pay child support.
I dont steal, when do you think we all should steal being you apparently are a expert on thefts.
You have too much couch miles !!!!
Minimum/low salary jobs are not meant to support a family. It’s meant to support you while you better yourself in your desired career field.
CONSIDERING:
“starting at $12 an hour plus benefits”
Which could mean going up to $38.47 per hour after a week.
The benefits could include total medical coverage, a mansion, country club membership, and a Tesla.
Probably not, but….
@NPC that’s not actually necessary..
Wages should go up to reflect the issue of goods/services going up either way. Employers don’t have to exploit their workers by keeping them in poverty and not paying a person a wage decent enough to pay their bills is exploiting their need for employment. Goods have been going up for years now so how does paying someone what they are actually worth in a position going to affect prices that have continually gone up when minimum wage was stuck low the last few decades? You can’t blame high prices on people fighting for decent wages that are adequate to the already occuring inflation but instead, take a look at the businesses pocketing the profits they make by keeping their employees in poverty..
That being said, you should never steal from your employer! Not excusing what he did at all. I do want to know why flomaton thinks a good wage is $12 an hour when they receive enough revenue to pay their employees a decent wage. The extra money they stress to “blow” before the fiscal year is up could go to wages. They have a budget beyond what we know so that’s wrong too.
$12 an hour is what $8 an hour after taxes? $320 a week isn’t enough to pay rent, let alone car insurance, car payment, food, FP freaking L. Stealing is wrong – obviously – but Flomaton should be ashamed of themselves – offering that for a government employee. PAY A LIVING WAGE
Henry, don’t complain about paying $20 for a hamburger at McDonald’s because you voted for it.
Good luck filling that position. Wage doesn’t excuse theft, find another job. Higher pay just across the line
God will fix the problem
If yall don’t know the whole story then don’t judge the man
People steal because they are thieves, not because they are paid $12 dollars per hour.
@ Henry Coe. Entry level positions are not meant to support families, the purpose is to develope skills, knowledge and work ethic. If every employer payed employees $16 an hour and prices of goods and services were raised to compensate for those increases would you be happy with paying more for those?
Well said. My alarm won’t work for $12 per hour.
Yeah what Henry Coe said.
Henry coe you just effectively victimized the criminal and criminalized the victim not the employers fault
I agree. $12 an hour is not a living wage. Especially when Florida will be up to a $15 minimum in the next couple years. I know this guy and I find this hard to believe..
@Henry Coe
Please define a ‘living wage’.
You seem to be excusing theft for it.
At Henry Coe
The man was not made to work there for that rate if pay.He was not a slave.
He chose thst rate and he chose to steal.
Dont justify stealing with any rate of pay.
A theif never will make enough to mot steal Henry.
Stealing is wrong no matter what…but $12 per hour?? Come on!
It wouldn’t guarantee that your next employee won’t steel but you could pay them a living wage and see if that helps. If you hire someone desperate enough to work for $12 per hour, you are hiring someone who is desperate. You should probably expect that they will always be looking for other ways to make money including steeling, because they don’t have a job where they make a living wage.
Maybe trim the COL adjustments in the salaries of upper level management and pay your next employee $16 so they will want to work there and want to keep their job. Just a thought.