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SALT LAKE CITY — A man accused of stealing scrap metal, presumably to sell to a recycling center for cash, allegedly went straight to the source.
Mahmoud Osman Ismail, 41, who prosecutors say is homeless, was charged Wednesday with stealing from a Salt Lake City recycling business. It's the second time this year Ismail has been accused of stealing from the same company.
Ismail was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with theft, a third-degree felony; and causing property damage, trespassing and possessing burglary tools, class B misdemeanors.
On Saturday, employees at Metro Group Inc., 3150 W. 900 South, spotted on surveillance video a man "stealing metal from a fenced area of the property," according to charging documents.
Employees found a hole that Ismail had allegedly cut in the fence to enter the yard, waited for him to return and then tackled him, the charges state.
Police say Ismail attempted to take several copper pipes that weighed a total of about 54 pounds. Employees also found "heavy-duty cutting instruments" that Ismail allegedly used to cut through the fence, the charges state.
When police attempted to question Ismail, he "stated via excited utterance that this has been the second time he has been at this site and that he had to do what he did to provide for his girlfriend who depends on him," a booking affidavit states.
Officers researched that information and found that Ismail had indeed been arrested at the same location on Jan. 19.
In that case, police say Ismail was able to slip under the gate of the chain-linked fence and "take insulated copper wiring from multiple containers," according to charging documents. He then walked back to the fenced-off area, took more copper wiring and slid it under the fence surrounding the property to put inside a trash can.
"When police arrived on scene, (Ismail) tried hiding next to the stolen scrap by laying in a pile of snow. The copper scrap was recovered and weighed a total of 420 pounds," a police booking affidavit states.
Ismail was charged in that case with theft, a third-degree felony; and trespassing, a class B misdemeanor.
