CCSO looking for information leading to arrest regarding damaged gas meter

LODGEPOLE – Cheyenne County Sheriff Office (CCSO) Sheriff Adam Frerichs announced his department is seeking information from the public regarding a damage gas meter, which was ripped out of the ground, in Lodgepole and caused a gas outage earlier this month.

In a press statement from CCSO to the Sun-Telegraph, Sheriff Frerichs wrote, “On the afternoon of 20 May 2023 at approximately 1600 hours (or 4:00 p.m.) the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office were contacted by a member of Black Hill Energy (BHE) and were requested to respond to the 400 block of Bates Boulevard, Lodgepole, Cheyenne County, Nebraska.”

According to CCSO, deputies were advised that while checking out a complaint of appliances not working in the area, BHE discovered a gas meter had been hit and broken in the alley behind the resident the energy company was called out to. BHE also advised CCSO there was “leaking gas” and did not know when the meter had been hit or what hit it.

According to Frerichs, when the responding deputy arrived on scene, he was met with the reporting party from BHE, who was on scene attempting to repair the meter.

In the course of investigating the leak and damaged meter, the CCSO deputy discovered “whoever had hit the meter, had not only broke the meter off, but ripped the posts out of the ground that were there to protect it.”

According to the sheriff's department, the responding deputy was advised the damages total roughly $3,000, however, there was no evidence at the scene to indicate what happened or who had done it. Additionally, the deputy could not locate cameras in the area.

The sheriff's office is asking the public for information or help which could aid in identifying the suspect or suspects in this case. Those with information are asked to call the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office at 308-254-2922.