A Florida man was caught red-handed after troopers found him driving around with a large power pole strapped to the hood of his car, officials said.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said the investigation began when they received a report of a theft of a downed power pole by a motorist in a small sedan in Hillsborough County.
Officials said the motorist, later identified as 71-year-old Douglas Allen Hatley, loaded the pole onto the roof of his car and took it to a recycling facility, where he was turned away for not having proper documentation.
Troopers were able to find Hatley, who was driving with the pole still on top of his car, officials said.
Hatley was arrested and charged with grand theft before he was booked into jail.
