Posted 12:40 pm Friday, April 11, 2008
Longview Police Arrest Two In Scrap Metal Theft
LONGVIEW - Two men were taken into custody by Longview police early Thursday morning after an attempted scrap metal theft, police said.
Julius Ceaser Hedrick, 47, and Marvin Byrdsong, 58, both of Longview, were found taking scrap metal from a dumpster belonging to Longview Gear and Axle at 801 W. Cotton St, police said.
Police also found a large amount of copper wire with the plastic casing burned off in the back of the truck the suspects were driving. Both men denied ownership of the copper wire, the police report said.
Ronnie Sullins, co-owner of Longview Gear and Axle, said the 16- to 20-foot dumpster outside of his business holds gears, drive-shaft tubing and other high-end scrap material that he sells. He said occasional thefts had occurred in the past but in recent days there were multiple thefts from the dumpster. He estimates $600 to $800 worth of material was stolen in the last couple of days alone. Sullins said he and the neighboring business have been on the lookout for suspicious persons and have called police a few times when thefts were occurring, but officers arrived too late to make an arrest. He said he is glad police caught the two men Thursday.
Hedrick and Byrdsong were arrested and taken to Gregg County Jail and charged with the state jail felony theft of wire/cable containing 50 percent aluminum, bronze, or copper.
