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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- An investigation is underway into the actions of nine Salt Lake City employees.
Police are looking into whether nine workers illegally stripped copper and brass from city materials, sold the scraps and then pocketed the money.
Jeff Niermeyer, with the Public Utilities Department, said they're taking the matter seriously. He said the city would seek restitution if the allegations are true.
All nine employees, whose names are not being released, helped maintain the city's water system. All of them were placed on leave last week.
Investigators have spoken to at least one recycling company, which provided receipts showing employees had pocketed between four-thousand and five-thousand dollars this year. The city will also examine receipts from last year.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
