Four men have been charged with theft after Shelby County deputies raided a home last week and discovered stolen construction equipment valuing around $1 million in the backyard, reports WREG News Channel 3.
Oscar Celallos, Jose Lopez, Victor Gonzalez and Iserel Dela Cruz were all charged with theft of property, and Cruz was also charged with aggravated assault.
Three of the men are from Guatemala and one is from Mexico. Their immigration status was unknown but immigration officials were notified.
A judge denied bond for all four men.
There was enough construction equipment to fill five tractor trailer trucks, according to officials. The men are alleged to have stolen around $745,000 in roofing shingles, $88,000 in rolled roofing, $12,000 in roofing nails, $14,000 in aluminum drip rails and rolled trim, and $13,000 in stolen lawn equipment. Deputies also seized 10 cars.
Officials believe the men have been stealing items for a long time and then selling them.
Contractor Sam Hearn told WMC Action News 5 that he’s glad the men got caught.
“They’re stealing stuff from us and it’s holding us up on building these houses,” said Hearn, whose crew works in a new Arlington subdivision.
Hearn alerted deputies after realizing that shingles and copper had been stolen.
Ten people were detained in Thursday night’s raid at the home on Chelsea Avenue that led to the four arrests. Officials said more arrests for theft and assault could be coming.
“They fought our deputies when they tried to arrest them,” said Shelby County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Earle Farrell.
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