x
Breaking News
More () »

Scrap Metal Thieves Caught on Camera

Copper is fetching a lot of money these days, so it’s no wonder we are hearing so much about crimes involving copper theft. Carbondale police are on the l...

Copper is fetching a lot of money these days, so it's no wonder we are hearing so much about crimes involving copper theft.

Carbondale police are on the lookout for copper thieves who two different scrap yards.

Police said the burglars stole thousands of dollars worth of wire and metal from two scrap yards on two different nights. Both burglaries were caught on camera and police said they are looking for the same three people.

Jim Thornton's camera caught three men coming and going through his scrapyard Monday night. They stayed for a few minutes and stole aluminum scrap and coils of copper wire.

In the daylight, employees at Thornton's tried to figure out just how much scrap was stolen. Thornton was angry knowing his place in another to fall victim to what he described as a scrap theft epidemic.

"The prices are too high, too many people are buying it, and they are not paying attention to where it's coming from," Thornton said.

Police in Carbondale said they are looking for the same three men who were caught on camera a night earlier at G&G Scrapyard. The burglars broke in and got away with much more.

The owners said the three men cut open the fence and walked right in to the scrapyard where they loaded up a few barrels containing hundreds of pounds of copper.

"I think they'll take them to another yard, and if they take them to a yard that's corrupt enough they'll take it. It's pretty obvious to see they're stolen because there's shear marks on them," said owner Garth Tonkin.

He added if the burglars are successful selling the copper to another scrapyard they could get more than $1,000 for it. He said it's the high prices for scrap metals that make them so tempting to steal.

"It's easy money for them, and it's really easy to get rid of it is the sad thing, and it's a chronic problem no matter where you go," added Tonkin.

Anyone with information on these burglaries is asked to call Carbondale police.

Before You Leave, Check This Out