Charleston police are cracking down on metal thieves. As Christine Habrle tells us, Stealing metal is big business so police are turning to recycling centers for help as the thieves become more bold.

Jerry Schaffer says, "The only thing I know is we don't have a phone."

Homes. Cemeteries and even the recycling centers are fair game for metal thieves these days. Allen Howard with WV Cashin and Recyclables says, "They took catalytic converters and left"

Police are hot on the trail of this shirtless bandit recently caught on tape allegedly robbing capitol recycling. But detectives won't stop with his arrest. Sgt. Aaron James/Charleston Police Dept. says, "It's moving into the realm where it's a criminal nuisance you come home and turn on the air-conditioning and it doesn't work you go outside and it's not there."

So they want to force the thieves out of the area. Not an easy task with copper bringing around 17-hundred dollars for 500 pounds. And other metals netting plenty of cash too. By law recycling centers are supposed to ask for identification and some do.. Allen Howard says, "We do everything we can to get the paperwork on the people to make sure the items are theirs and not stolen."

All police want operators of the centers to do going forward is to keep a list and give them a call when people bring in unusual items or large quantities. Sg. James: "A person doesn't just bring in all these new aluminum bleachers and they don't know something's up so we hope they'll cooperate with us on this because they are in essence helping commit the crime."

That way people at rest, at home or on the job won't be victims in the future. Schaffer says, "What if someone had to call 911??

If you know anyone who is stealing copper or any other kind of metal Charleston police want to talk to you. All you have to do is contact detective Dave Workman at 348-6480.

Sgt. James says Charleston in particular is also experiencing a problem with people towing away abandoned cars and getting them crushed for the cash. So he want to put a stop to that too.