Chester County Factory Workers Stole $1 Million in Nickel: DA

Eight employees at a Chester County factory have been arrested after stealing 55 tons of nickel from their company, the Chester County District Attorney's office said Wednesday morning. The total estimated loss to the company was nearly $1 million, according to the DA.

The eight men all worked out of the ArcelorMittal factory, which is based in South Coatesville. ArcelorMittal uses nickel, which costs about $9 a pound, to produce steel.

"The most difficult crime to stop is an inside job," DA Tom Hogan said. "The conspirators knew exactly how to evade detection while carrying out their crimes."

The arrested individuals include Dane Dougals, 39, his brother Corey Douglas, 36, Aaron Anderson, 36, George Glassco, 56, Richard Cooper, 54, Maurice Dennis, 26, Jeffrey Shuler, 55, and Marcus Pearce, 25, authorities said. Some of the suspects were employed by ArcelorMittal, a few worked for Vanenburg, a supplier of the factory, and a few others worked for the security firm Allied Barton, according to the DA.

An investigation began when a plant manager saw Glassco taking nickel "briquettes" from a sack and placing it into a bucket, the DA said. The plant's security contacted Chester County detectives, who said they engaged in an exhaustive investigation to uncover a "sophisticated and coordinated" years-long scheme to steal the nickel.

Because the suspects had different job responsibilities, they were responsible for the nickel's transport at different stages. They would arrange for the nickel to be moved to a different area of the factory where it could be more easily stolen, the DA said. Other suspects would physically remove the nickel, while others brought it out of the factory itself. Security guards were paid to look the other way, the DA said.

The suspects re-sold the nickel to PASCO Incorporated, a metal recycling company based in Philadelphia, for $4 a pound, which is more than half off the market price of nickel, according to authorities.

The suspects each face felony theft charges and related counts. Preliminary hearings are forthcoming.

Images courtesy Chester County DA.