Three in Perry County accused of stealing scrap metal

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Three Perryville men were arrested on Perry County warrants recently on suspicion of stealing scrap metal and selling it.

Joshua Loucks

The men, Dylan J. Paul, 21, Joshua J. Loucks, 18, and Joshuwa Alen Derousse, 25, were arrested by authorities after a victim and homeowner in western Perry County caught them stealing recycled metal and blocked the road until police arrived, according to Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf.

Dylan Paul

In a news release Sunday, Schaaf said the sheriff's department has reports of the thefts dating back several months and that some of the metal was being sold to recycling operations in Madison and St. Francois counties, which provided video of the suspects.

Paul was charged Wednesday with five counts of second-degree burglary, five counts of felony stealing and three counts of second-degree property damage. Loucks was also charged Wednesday with second-degree burglary and felony stealing, and Derousse is charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and two counts of felony stealing.

Both Loucks and Derousse are being held on a $5,000 cash-only bond, and Paul is being held on a $10,000 bond. Missouri CaseNet doesn't list an upcoming court date for any of the suspects.