Davenport Man Charged in $40K Moline Copper Theft and Iowa Police Chase
Chad Michael McDermott, 47, of Davenport, is facing charges in Illinois and Iowa following a copper theft incident and subsequent police pursuits. An arrest warrant was issued for McDermott in Moline, Illinois, after a 2:30 a.m. Oct. 2 break-in at Grinders & Spaghetti House on Avenue of the Cities. The theft involved dismantling commercial HVAC units to strip copper, which was estimated to be worth less than $100 as scrap metal, but resulted in over $40,000 in damage to the restaurant. Moline police identified McDermott through surveillance video and scrap metal records. Two days later, on Oct. 5, Walcott police located McDermott's gray pickup near the Iowa 80 Truckstop, leading to an Interstate 80 chase. During the pursuit, McDermott reportedly drove erratically, reaching speeds of 106 mph in a 50 mph zone and 108 mph in a 45 mph zone, running multiple red lights, passing in no-passing zones, and driving the wrong way on Brady Street and Harrison Street in Davenport. He eventually ditched his vehicle near...
