Two Salisbury Township Men Stole Over $230,000 Worth of Scrap Metal: Police

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):   Christiana police have charged a Salisbury Township father and son with stealing over $230,000 worth of scrap metal and over $70,000 in company funds from their employer. 

Police said Jonas Stoltzfus, 53, and Andrew Stoltzfus, 25, of Gap, stole scrap metal from their employer, Little Washington Fabricators in Christiana, over a number of years and sold the metal to scrap yards in the Philadelphia area for personal profit. 

According to a criminal complaint, Jonas Stoltzfus used his position overseeing the day-to-day operations of Little Washington Fabricators to direct his son Andrew Stoltzfus and another company employee to transport and sell the scrap metal, which was meant to be placed in company dumpsters and collected by local scrap company Atglen Recycling, which would compensate Little Washington Fabricators. 

Police say the Stoltzfuses acted without the knowledge of company owner Doug Howe. Howe told police he discovered the theft in January 2022 and began collecting receipts, emails and other records that documented it. According to the criminal complaint, emails Howe collected show Jonas Stoltzfus directing his son to transport scrap using company vehicles. 

Police say records provided by Howe also indicate Jonas and Andrew Stoltzfus used company materials to build an addition on a cabin they owned in Bedford County. Police say photos of the cabin show materials owned by Little Washington Fabricators installed at various spots on the cabins. 

According to police, receipts and E-ZPass records indicate Jonas Stoltzfus traveled to the cabin and transported materials there using company vehicles while being paid his hourly rate by the company.

 Police say that, in total, Jonas and Andrew Stoltzfus cost the company over $358,000 through theft of company materials, funds and time. 

Jonas and Andrew Stoltzfus were released on $75,000 and $25,000 bail, respectively. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for early September. 

Courtesy: www.lancasteronline.com