Police: NK Man Stole $50,000 in Scrap Metal

A man who allegedly had been stealing large amounts of metal from area railroad tracks and cutting catalytic converters out from under cars parked at a local business has been arrested after a joint investigation by North Kingstown and Amtrak police.

North Kingstown Police Det. Lt. Christopher Emerson said that Louis M. Pelcher, 40, of 6101 Post Road, North Kingstown, was arrested on June 11 and is due to be arraigned this afternoon at Third Division District Court on six counts of felony larceny.

Police said a raid at his apartment revealed that Pelcher had been stockpiling metal stolen from Amtrak property and catalytic converters that he had been cutting out from under cars parked at a North Kingstown business.

Police said they had been investigating the thefts of the catalytic converters for some time and Det. Donald Barrington developed information that Pelcher was involved.

Meanwhile, Amtrak investigators also identified Pelcher as a suspect in the theft of a large amount of metal from the tracks.

All told, Pelcher stole $15,000 worth of catalytic converters from the local business and $35,000 worth of metal from Amtrak.

“North Kingstown Police Detectives and Amtrak Investigators are currently working with several police departments around the state to determine if Pelcher is responsible for similar crimes,” Emerson said.