MONROE - Stolen scrap metals from the area often end up at salvage yards, which has led to businesses and local law enforcement working together to help stop property crime.
Behr Iron and Metal in Monroe has set up stop-gaps to weed out stolen items at their 14 salvage yards across the Midwest, including Monroe.
Though selling stolen metal is not a very common occurrence, Behr workers are trained to be aware of suspicious materials coming into their salvage yards. Jodi Behr, vice president, said they try to work with local law enforcement and inform their competitors in metal salvage of possible stolen items. Behr said any number of items can show up at their salvage yards that could slip past those not informed to look out for stolen metals. Behr said her workers know to look for suspicious activity and for brand-new, unused items or metals with serial numbers scratched off.
"Certain items have to have a license to sell, like railroad tracks or parts, but if someone comes in with a manhole cover, it's a bit obvious it was stolen," Behr said.
The trickier items to deal with are copper piping and aluminum siding that have no serial numbers and can't be tracked down. Which is why Behr said they have made themselves available to law enforcement and keep in contact about reported stolen items.
Behr said their cooperation isn't limited to just working with law enforcement.
"We immediately call other scrap yards even though they can be our competition ... we want to see the bad guys get caught," she said.
Don Runde of RDK Metal Recycling in Juda said that since he bought the former Hoop's Garage in the summer they have not come across any stolen items.
"We've been pretty lucky, knock on wood," Runde said.
He said he suspects that a drop in copper prices could have lead to less theft.
"Used to be you could get $4 per pound of copper, so a good 5-gallon bucket full of copper wire would get you about $150, but now copper is cut down to about half that," Runde said.
Runde said they also have video surveillance as a security precaution.
Behr Iron and Metal in Monroe, located on Clarno Road, has video equipment installed with timestamps to help detectives and attorneys gather evidence should someone try to sell stolen items at the scrap yard. Behr said they have kept all of their locations up to date with the latest video surveillance to assist in investigations and for general security.
"Fortunately our system is so current that we have it all at our fingertips to pull up everything we need," Behr said.
That same surveillance helped Green County Sheriff Department deputies gather evidence on several young men for attempting to sell metal items stolen from a residence on Bethel Road. Court records show that during the months of July and August of 2011, the men allegedly stole about $10,245 worth of auto parts, scrap metal, aluminum ramps and Christmas tree stands. Behr cooperated with investigation into the stolen items, including video surveillance at the salvage yard in Monroe, and all four men were arrested and two were recently sentenced to prison.
Green County detective Terry Argue said he thinks recent convictions have possibly dissuaded some would-be thieves.
"All I can say is don't bring your stolen scrap to Green County or your goose is cooked," Argue said.
Behr Iron and Metal in Monroe has set up stop-gaps to weed out stolen items at their 14 salvage yards across the Midwest, including Monroe.
Though selling stolen metal is not a very common occurrence, Behr workers are trained to be aware of suspicious materials coming into their salvage yards. Jodi Behr, vice president, said they try to work with local law enforcement and inform their competitors in metal salvage of possible stolen items. Behr said any number of items can show up at their salvage yards that could slip past those not informed to look out for stolen metals. Behr said her workers know to look for suspicious activity and for brand-new, unused items or metals with serial numbers scratched off.
"Certain items have to have a license to sell, like railroad tracks or parts, but if someone comes in with a manhole cover, it's a bit obvious it was stolen," Behr said.
The trickier items to deal with are copper piping and aluminum siding that have no serial numbers and can't be tracked down. Which is why Behr said they have made themselves available to law enforcement and keep in contact about reported stolen items.
Behr said their cooperation isn't limited to just working with law enforcement.
"We immediately call other scrap yards even though they can be our competition ... we want to see the bad guys get caught," she said.
Don Runde of RDK Metal Recycling in Juda said that since he bought the former Hoop's Garage in the summer they have not come across any stolen items.
"We've been pretty lucky, knock on wood," Runde said.
He said he suspects that a drop in copper prices could have lead to less theft.
"Used to be you could get $4 per pound of copper, so a good 5-gallon bucket full of copper wire would get you about $150, but now copper is cut down to about half that," Runde said.
Runde said they also have video surveillance as a security precaution.
Behr Iron and Metal in Monroe, located on Clarno Road, has video equipment installed with timestamps to help detectives and attorneys gather evidence should someone try to sell stolen items at the scrap yard. Behr said they have kept all of their locations up to date with the latest video surveillance to assist in investigations and for general security.
"Fortunately our system is so current that we have it all at our fingertips to pull up everything we need," Behr said.
That same surveillance helped Green County Sheriff Department deputies gather evidence on several young men for attempting to sell metal items stolen from a residence on Bethel Road. Court records show that during the months of July and August of 2011, the men allegedly stole about $10,245 worth of auto parts, scrap metal, aluminum ramps and Christmas tree stands. Behr cooperated with investigation into the stolen items, including video surveillance at the salvage yard in Monroe, and all four men were arrested and two were recently sentenced to prison.
Green County detective Terry Argue said he thinks recent convictions have possibly dissuaded some would-be thieves.
"All I can say is don't bring your stolen scrap to Green County or your goose is cooked," Argue said.