BEAUMONT – Riverside County sheriff's deputies have arrested a man on suspicion of hacking down three power poles to steal transformers each worth $1,500.

Officials said Thursday that 49-year-old Gary Gayler of La Quinta was arrested July 2 and booked into a correctional facility in Banning in lieu of $31,500 bail.

Deputies found the cut-down power poles on March 2. Officials say the thieves cut the poles to access the transformers.

Information from: The Sun, www.sbsun.com