Man with wagon suspected of stealing metal, selling material back to scrap yard

~ Business owner did not press charges, and police would not release the man's name.

Business owner Bill Hartle suspects he has bought back his own stolen property.

Specifically from a man in his late 50s who pulls a little red wagon around Cape Girardeau.

Hartle, who doesn't know the man's name, said he is a regular customer at Top Metal Recycling at 624 S. Kingshighway Drive. About twice a week, he carts in aluminum cans, copper wiring and scrap aluminum.

On Friday afternoon, the owner turned the man in for attempting to steal from his scrap yard, after he found the man placing aluminum pipes into a heap.

Cape Girardeau Sgt. Rick Schmidt responded and wouldn't release the man's name since no charges were filed.

"We see him around town, pulling a wagon and picking up cans," said Schmidt, who recalls first seeing the man pulling a wagon six years ago.

The man originally pulled a little red wagon, on which Hartle said he fixed a bent axle. Lately, the man has been seen tugging a little yellow wagon, Schmidt said.

No wagon was found at Friday's attempted burglary. Instead, Schmidt found both wagons at the man's home on the northeast side of Cape Girardeau.

Hartle said he caught the man stealing after business hours on three prior occasions. Each time, he only warned him.

"He just acts like a whipped dog when you catch him," Hartle said.

He called the police the fourth time in order to teach him a lesson, not to press charges.

"Because if he gets away with the little stuff, then he graduates to the big stuff," Hartle said.

Schmidt complied with Hartle's request and released the man after sternly warning him, Schmidt said.

Hartle, who has no resentment, said he will not refuse the man's business if he continues to bring in scrap metal.

jmetelski@semissourian.com