Metal Dealers Fighting Theft

Crimes like these are a big concern for scrap metal dealers and automobile recyclers across the country.

Scrap metal prices, especially copper prices, have spiked in the last few years.

That means thefts are more and more common.

Sawyer Iron & Metal at K.I. Sawyer works closely with local police to make sure no one is trying to sell them stolen property.

They have every customer who brings items to them supply photo ID on every trip and have to record a written description of what the items are and where they’ve come from.

But Sawyer Iron & Metal is concerned about getting robbed themselves.

Mike’s Auto Shop, where a wrecker was stolen on Monday, is nearby.

That shop wasn’t alone that day, either.

Someone also broke into another auto service shop near them, and a restaurant owner reported his restaurant’s windows and doors may have been tampered with.

Donald Houghton, Jr. says their business has been lucky.

It hasn’t been touched by thieves in about 2 years.

And though we didn’t ask to see it, they say they do keep a shotgun on the premises for those occasions.