
53-year-old Norman Means of Organ and 45-year-old Stephen Matteson of Las Cruces have each been charged with burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal trespass and conspiracy.
Luna County Undersheriff Arturo Baeza said additional charges are pending, and the severity of the charges will be based on the value of and damage to the property they were attempting to steal.
Sheriff’s Detective David Holguin said a concerned citizen called in Monday morning to report suspicious activity at the American Tower Company site near Gap and Rivera Road Southeast.
Holguin and Deputy Josh Elford responded and discovered Means and Matteson in the process of disassembling a large GMC diesel generator.
The two already had copper wire and parts of a heating unit motor in the back of their pickup, and had tampered with other objects and electric boxes at the site.