Chief Deputy David Anderson said the Covington County Sheriff’s Department is seeing a rise in the number of scrap metal thefts as the price for copper, aluminum and nickel rises.

“Anytime the economy is down, we have a rise in the number (of metal thefts),” he said. “People are scrapping metal to make money.”

Anderson said people are doing anything they can to make money, as was the case with Monday’s Hwy. 84 arrests, in which two were taken into custody and charged with theft of property and burglary.

Anderson said that concerned residents play an important role in helping law enforcement officials track down suspects.

“Anytime (neighbors) see anything out of the ordinary, we will be happy to come and check it out,” he said.