UPDATED Wednesday, July 14, 2010 -- 3:45 p.m.
By NBC15's Dana Brueck

A quick-thinking employee at a local scrap recycler helped police nab three men, suspected of stealing thousands of dollars worth of copper.

Madison Police say it's an ongoing problem that's costing construction companies -- the theft of copper from work sites!

"When the price of copper goes up, and it becomes cost effective for the bad guys, then they go out and that's how they make their money," Lt. Dave McCaw says.

Charlene Hubble works at Resource Solutions, a local scrap recycler.

Tuesday morning, Hubble says Cardinal Heating and AC called her, saying the company had suffered a theft.

"Approximately 45 minutes to an hour later, a van with three individuals showed up... and the van was filled with insulated wire," Hubble says.

Hubble says she knew something was suspicious and called police.

Officers then matched the description of what was missing from the work site with what was being traded for cash.

"The property that was described was new copper tubing... so basically, nobody recycles new copper tubing. You use new copper tubing, you recycle the old stuff after you tear it out... or you have bits and pieces," Lt. Dave McCaw says.

While police were checking the van with two of the suspects, another one was at the window, trying to complete the transaction. But when he found out what was happening, Hubble says he took off through the warehouse and out the back.

"We had some warehouse gentlemen working here,loading a truck, and one of them said can I help you? He said, 'No. I'm leaving this way,' and he split out the door there and took off."

But police chased Jerry Bass, arresting him for receiving stolen property and resisting.

Two other local men... Jesse Seabury and Derek Simpson also were taken into custody.

"Anybody who's in a construction site after the hours of darkness shouldn't be there," McCaw says, "We always appreciate those calls ... if people hear or see something at these sites, we really want to help the construction people get on top of this and make these arrests."

Court records show 27 year-old Jesse Seabury of Madison already has charges pending for another property-related crime in April.

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Posted Wednesday, July 14, 2010 --- 10:43 a.m.

Incident Report from the Madison Police Department:

Metal thefts from construction sites have continued to be a problem in the Madison area this summer, and yesterday three suspects were caught red-handed thanks to help from an area recycler. Madison Police officers were on the scene of a recent metal theft on the city’s West Side when they were alerted by a Dane County Communications Center dispatcher that a van full of copper had just showed up at Resource Solutions Corporation, 5493 Express Circle, in the Town of Burke. An employee, who believed the copper was stolen, was trying to stall three men. Back at the Madison construction site, 8101 Mayor Drive, officers were learning that there had been multiple recent metal thefts at a couple of different sites, and that thousands of dollars worth of copper tubes, copper fittings, and copper wire had just been discovered missing. What was in the back of the van, in the Town of Burke, was thought to be what was stolen from Mayo Drive. Dane County deputies and Madison Police officers responded, and quickly took two men into custody. A third (suspect Bass listed below) tried to run, but was apprehended by a MPD officer following a short chase. The suspects were arrested on tentative charges listed below. The Madison Police Department would like to thank the Resource Solutions employee for her quick actions. Stopping metal thefts is another crime where law enforcement does need the cooperation of the community.

Suspects:
Jerry Dwayne Bass, age 23, no permanent address
Mr. Bass was arrested for Receiving Stolen Property, Resisting, and Extradition.

Jesse James Seabury, age 27, Madison
Mr. Seabury was arrested for Receiving Stolen Property, and Resisting.

Derek David Simpson, age 26, Stoughton
Mr. Simpson was arrested for Receiving Stolen Property.