A man and woman have been charged following an investigation into the alleged theft of copper wire in the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command.

Over the past three months police attached to the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command have been investigating the theft and recycling of copper wire for financial gain.

About 2.20am (Sunday 11 January 2015), police from Lake Macquarie Special Operations Group stopped a car towing a trailer on Jonathon Street at Warners Bay.

Police searched the trailer and will allege they located a large section of copper wire. A further search of the car revealed a number of tools including a set of bolt cutters.

A 40-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman were arrested and taken to Charlestown Police Station. They were both charged with larceny and goods in custody. The man was additionally charged with use unregistered trailer.

The man was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court today. The woman has been granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Belmont Local Court on 4 February 2015.