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Gainesville resident Paul Leonard, 46, and 48-year-old Josh Smith, of Broad Run are the latest to be apprehended for targeting scrap metal in the 7000 block of Kennedy Road in the early hours of Monday morning.
A spokesperson for the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office said that at around 4:20 a.m. on Jan. 29, the agency received reports of multiple flashlights by the scrap metal on county property that belonged to the Water and Sanitation Department.
It was the same location that three others were arrested less than 24 hours earlier.
At the scene, deputies found two men on foot and two vehicles parked with their lights off and engines running. When approached by investigators, both stated they were taking scrap metal from the pile with the intention of selling it, claiming they believed it to be free and they had been busy for hours.
Both Leonard and Smith were detained without incident, the general manager of the property was contacted, and, in fact, no one has permission to be loading scrap into a vehicle or to even be on that county property.
According to the manager, who was called to the scene, one vehicle had approximately $2,000 worth of scrap metal, while the other was loaded with about $500.
Both men were arrested for larceny and their vehicles were towed away from the scene. Investigators noted that "multiple power tools that could be used to aid in the larceny were located, as were narcotics and paraphernalia."
Leonard was charged with grand larceny, possession of controlled paraphernalia, and possession of burglary tools. Smith was charged with petit larceny and possession of burglary tools.
Both are being held at the Fauquier Adult Detention Center behind metal bars pending their next court appearance.
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