Police Arrest Suspect In Scrap Metal Thefts

When a man took a taxi back to his car he had left on Pennsylvania Avenue, he was met by the very people he least wanted to see: The cops.

Police had just found the vehicle, believed to be used in several scrap metal thefts, and were waiting for a tow truck to haul it away when the taxi showed up.

Talk about bad timing.

The suspect, a 46-year-old man, tried to get away but was apprehended by officers and arrested for receiving stolen property and operating after suspension.

According to reports:

Five times in the last month, scrap metal was stolen from a property in the 10500 block of S. Howell Ave. The latest incident occurred sometime between 6 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday, when an unknown person pushed down a wooden fence and removed items such as copper rods, a screw jack and a wagon hitch.

The property owner set up a camera to try capturing an image of the thief, and police were able to get a photo of the suspect, as well as a description of the vehicle from a witness.

About 3:20 a.m. Sunday, an officer found a vehicle that matched the description parked in the 9600 block of S. Pennsylvania Ave. The license plates came back as stolen.

Police called for a tow truck, and as they waited, the taxi -- carrying the suspect -- showed up. The suspect got out and tried to flee. He could not evade police, however, and was arrested.

The man told police he drove the vehicle before running out of gas. He said he was unaware the license plates were stolen, and said his neighbor put them on the vehicle.

The man then admitted stealing the scrap metal and said he took the metal to a recycling center for money.

He has not yet been charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, according to online court records.