Ohio Scrap Metal Theft Ring May Have Caused $1M In Property Damage

Arrests have been made and additional suspects have been identified in a large scrap metal theft ring accused of causing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage in Montgomery County, according to investigators.

Moraine police, the leading agency on the investigation, conducted a search at a home in the 2800 block of Coronette Avenue Thursday morning.

The search comes following a long-term investigation into stolen scrap metal from several properties across Montgomery County since 2018, Moraine police told this news outlet.

The suspects are accused of targeting scrap metal, mainly copper wire, at properties that were being built, rehabilitated, or were abandoned, including properties damaged by the Memorial Day tornadoes, investigators said.

During the search, investigators found stolen scrap metal, vehicles used during the thefts, and tools used to take the scrap metal from the properties, police said.