Thieves Making Money Without Taking Money

The stolen goods of choice appear to be changing for some St. Joseph thieves. The criminals don`t have take money to make money. Thieves hit the Auto Bath Car Wash not once but twice this month. First they busted coin machines. Then they swiped a solar panel and 60 feet of hose. St. Joseph Police Department Commander Larry Smith said, "Some of these crimes occur because they are considered scrap metal and can be sold at scrap yards. The market is up and it`s an easy way to make a fast dollar." Down the road, thieves are taking tokens of affection at Mount Olivet Cemetery. More than 15 eternal lights are missing from memorials. Cemetery office manager Tandy Erganian said, "It`s like stealing from their loved one. They`re very upset some mad some are very upset." Commander Smith said, "I don`t know why someone would steal something like that it doesn`t seem to have any monetary value." Dave Petty knows one man`s trash is another man`s treasure. He pays cash for trash at the Recycling Corp. Aluminum is the bulk of Petty`s business but other metals are keeping him busy. He says prices are high for brass, aluminum, copper and other red metals. He says copper is going for about $2.00 to $2.50 a pound. "Business is definitely up this summer over last. I don`t know if it`s the economy but when money gets tight people start pulling stuff out of the closet." Police say something besides financial desperation may be fueling the odd thefts. The saying if it`s not nailed down someone will take it doesn`t apply at The First Bank of Missouri. Thieves managed to pry the letters "T" and "M" that were bolted to the building. Commander Smith said, "When schools out and teenagers have more time we expect things like that to happen and we prepare for it." No matter the motive one things for sure. These crimes are tough to crack. Commander Smith said, "If we don`t get their fast enough our evidence is gone it will be crushed or turned into something else." The exact value of the aluminum letters stolen from the bank aren`t known. The bank president says it will cost about two hundred dollars to replace them.