Man Arrested In Scrap Case Involving Rail Crossing
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - Authorities say they arrested a man for trying to sell counterweights off railroad crossing arms to a Detroit business that deals in scrap metal.
Calvin Thomas Tramell, 41, was charged with receiving stolen property between $1,000 and $20,000.
Bill Elson, senior vice president of Fritz Enterprises, told reporters that his staffers were warned by railroad police last Friday that a man was in the area, trying to sell the stolen property. Minutes later, Elson said Tramell showed up with the metal weights. He said the scrap yard's workers called railroad police, who showed up and took Tramell into custody.
Elson said it's "horrible that people will stoop to this level."
The counterweights are used to help control the up and down motion of the barrier at a railroad crossing. It's not yet clear when they were taken from.
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