The sheriff's department has made several arrests, but expects more
PIKE CO., ILL. -- The Pike County Illinois Sheriffs Department has made a dent in what appears to be a recurring crime.
Last week the department arrested 28-year-old Arthur Swank of Baylis, Ill. after an investigation into a rash of scrap metal thefts.
Throughout the month of June, Swank is believed to have taken several hundred pounds of scrap metal on at least ten occassions.
Sheriff Paul Petty says there have been several other arrests on scrap metal theft charges as well.
KHQA's Jarod Wells talked to Sheriff Petty about what has spurred these crimes, and what you can do to keep it from happening in your back yard for this Safe Family report.
Sheriff Paul Petty says it's the economy that's caused people to start stealing scrap metal.
Petty said, "Obviously it brings a quick cash flow to them, there's not a lot of questions asked when you bring a load of metal in. It's hard to identify that that wheel, that wagon that's old, it's yours or mine, whether it came from my pile, there's no identifying features on it. So it makes a pretty good target."
Petty says people are targeting properties with large pieces of scrap metal, but grabbing anything they can get.
Petty said, "We've found them where small pick up trucks will hit the same area 10-15 times over the period of a month, even a week. We've also found those that come great distances, once they find a spot that they can hit and feel comfortable hitting, they'll bring two trucks and a trailer. So we've seen the big ones and we've seen the small ones."
The Pike County Sheriff's Department expects these crimes to keep happening and more reports to start coming in.
Petty said, "If I had to speculate, we may not even be getting 60% of actual thefts. What we're asking people, if you own a scrap pile or you're collecting scrap or you have stuff on the farm that you have never turned in, just an area where you keep scrap, keep a constant eye and remind yourself to look at it occassionally."
And pay attention to traffic in the area, if you see something or someone that looks out of place, take note of that and let neighbors and law enforcement know.
Petty said, "The more people that they think are looking at them, the more apt they are to mot get involved in that activity."
Sheriff Petty says a lot of time these crimes are happening on vacant or seldom used lots, but there have been instances where thieves go into a frequently used barn to steal scrap metal.
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