Police have charged a man in relation to the theft of 300kg of copper wire from a coal mine in the Lake Macquarie region.

Officers stopped a white Nissan Pulsar in the Warners Bay area about 4pm on Monday (2 March 2015).

During a search of the car, police seized three 100kg spools of 10mm copper wire from within the vehicle.

This was the amount of wire reported stolen from a coal mine at Black Hill between Friday 27 February and Sunday 1 March 2015. The value of the wire is about $3,500.

The driver of the vehicle – a 38-year-old man who is employed at the mine – was arrested and taken to Charlestown Police Station.

He has been charged with larceny, goods in custody, and possess prescribed restricted substance (Viagra).

The man was granted conditional bail to appear in Belmont Local Court on 25 March 2015.

The investigation continues.