BATTERY BANK BUST – Brione Russell (inset at right) was wanted for a 2023 bank robbery but honed his skills to a more lucrative enterprise, stealing cell site batteries. However, he and his partner, Kendrick Larkin, were caught by authorities and await arraignment in Georgia. In South Africa, a pastor from Malawi who wasn’t overjoyed by his collection plate offerings was not offered a reduced sentence and received a severe term today of 10 years in jail for running a ring that stole cell site batteries and sold them online for solar systems.
In a surprising turn of events, a man who once found it lucrative to rob a bank has shifted his focus to stealing from cell tower sites.
Brione Carnell Russell, previously wanted for a bank robbery in Shreveport, Louisiana, was recently arrested for attempting to steal batteries from a cell tower site in Hall County, Georgia.
Alongside his accomplice, Kendrick Larkin, Russell has been linked to a string of thefts from cell tower compounds, indicating a significant shift in his criminal activities.
On August 21, Russell and Larkin were apprehended by law enforcement as they tried to steal batteries at a cell tower.
This arrest follows an investigation into thefts that occurred last month at two cell tower sites in the same county. More than $19,000 worth of batteries were stolen.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) issued an arrest warrant for Russell on August 5, connecting him to these previous crimes.
Russell, a resident of Auburn, Georgia, now faces two counts of felony second-degree burglary. His arrest marks the culmination of an intense search by authorities, who had been tracking his movements since the warrant was issued.
Russell remains in the custody of Dawson County authorities and is awaiting further legal proceedings.
No mercy for the clergy. Pastor gets 10 years for cell site battery thefts
Cell tower thefts are a global issue. Many countries, such as India and South Africa, have handed down severe sentences for these crimes. In contrast, in the U.S., individuals caught stealing from a cell tower are often released on their recognizance and never show up for their arraignment.
In South Africa today, a 59-year-old man, Mlotha Nelson Usale, a God’s Chapel Church pastor, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for tampering with wireless infrastructure by stealing cell site batteries, according to the Office of the Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng.
Usale ran a group that stole batteries nationwide from Vodacom and MTN network towers. He modified the batteries to make them look like solar batteries, repainted them, and sold them to unsuspecting buyers online.
The scheme was uncovered when a customer bought a battery that didn’t work. After showing it to a friend, the customer realized it was a stolen network battery and reported it to the police.
Usale admitted guilt in court and offered to pay a fine of R200,000 ($11,212.00), but the prosecutor argued his crimes were too serious for just a fine.
The judge criticized Usale for trying to avoid prison and said he had abused South Africa’s hospitality.
