3 nabbed with truck in scrap metal theft

FORT WAYNE (Scrap Monster): Three Fort Wayne men were charged Thursday with breaking into a scrap metal business and stealing enough material that they needed a box truck for moving it.

The ongoing investigation at the OmniSource plant at 2511 Taylor St. culminated about 1 a.m. Sunday when police spotted a rented box truck as it entered a building at the business, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Someone already in the building opened the door from the inside to let the truck in, the affidavit said.

Police wrote in the report that they heard a forklift loading material in the building while the truck was inside.

The truck left a short while later, followed by an SUV that was later found to be driven by a lookout.

When police stopped the two vehicles, they arrested Hakeem D. Pittman, 18, of the 200 block of Esmond Street; Rahman A. Pittman, 20, of the 1400 block of Hugh Street; and Julian L. Norris, 23, of the 5600 block of Werling Drive.

Norris said he helped with about three to six previous thefts at OmniSource and made between $500 and $1,000 on each job. A dollar estimate of the business’s loss was not provided in the report.

Norris told police he went under a fence to get on the property so he could get in the building to let the truck in.

Rahman Pittman was driving the box truck when police stopped it and told police he was a 10-year employee at OmniSource, but he then requested an attorney and did not provide any further details, according to the report.

Norris and Rahman Pittman were charged with one count each of burglary and theft. Hakeem Pittman was charged with aiding burglary and theft.

All three were released on $10,000 bond.

Courtesy: www.journalgazette.net