PETOSKEY, MI -- The high prices of metals, like steel and copper, have thieves targeting homes and now businesses.

Greenwell Machine Shop was the latest target.  Thieves stole more than one-thousand pounds of steel worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $800.

"A good load of scrap metal can be a pretty good payday," said Petoskey Department of Public Safety Director John Calabrese.

Calabrese says the suspects got away with 12 six-foot long bars of red primer square stock steel.

The owner, and police, suspect it was probably a couple of people who came out and stole these bars, because they're really heavy.  Now, they suspect they're headed to a scrap yard somewhere, where the owner says the steel would be worth a little more than $150.  Calabrese says it's not uncommon for the thieves to make it disappear and have cash in hand before the owners know it's even gone.  And for the scrap yards, there's another challenge. 

“It's hard to tell who's doing it legally or illegally," said Calabrese. 

Don Frisbie, owner of Antrim Recycling in Mancelona, says if there's any doubt that somebody is trying to drop off "dirty" metal, he won't take it.

“When it's discovered on their property, it's not a good thing.  The least they'd have to do is give it back to the owner and be out of the money they paid for it," said Frisbie.

There are laws set in place for scrap yards to help deter this growing problem.  The buyer has to get the name, driver’s license, and fingerprints of anyone dropping off scrap.  The scrap yard must also hold the metal for seven days before it's sold.

“If someone's calls about new wire, or new copper, if someone pulls in here with an old jalopy, and they have a bunch of new wire, you know it didn't come from their place," said Frisbie.

But even with the laws and scrap yard owners keeping an eye on things, it's tough to find the culprits behind these crimes.

Calabrese says keeping an eye on your things and your neighbor’s things is the best way to fight metal theft.

If you have any information about this case, contact the Petoskey Department of Public Safety at (231)347-2500.