A man and woman were arrested for allegedly stealing scrap metal in Sebastian County Tuesday.
Perry Chappell and Margie Shores, both of Hackett, were arrested for theft of property and criminal trespassing.
The victim reported that someone stole materials and out of order appliances from a residence under renovation near Highway 10 Monday.
A neighbor had seen the truck pulling a trailer leave the property after dark, according to Philip Pevehouse with the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators were able to develop a description of the suspect’s vehicle.
Tuesday evening, deputies say two neighbors called and reported seeing a suspicious vehicle. Officers responded and found the couple loading a trailer with corrugated iron.
Pevehouse says Chappell and Shores claimed they had permission to be on the property from a family member, but the victim said that wasn’t true.
Chappell and Shores were arrested and told investigators they had sold the property to a scrap yard in Van Buren. Pevehouse says the couple returned to the house to try to get another load of metal.
“Metal theft is a continual problem in our area,” said Philip Pevehouse with the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office. “Many times thieves will help themselves to what someone has left outside. With metal prices high this trend will likely continue.”
