Owner catches suspected thieves trying to nab 300-pound wrecking ball

DeLAND, Fla. — For weeks, the owner of a DeLand scrap yard has been noticing scrap metal vanishing from his property, so he grabbed his shotgun and conducted a stakeout on Monday.

John West, the owner of West Crane Services on Newport Avenue, said he heard a pickup circle the property and then saw two men get out of the vehicle.

West said the men were attempting to steal a 300-pound wrecking ball, but not before he pulled a gun on them and called 911.

“They were stealing,” West can be heard saying in the 911 call. “Yeah, you were caught red-handed, dude.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office took 28-year-old Ryan Moore and 27-year-old Scott Sasek into custody.

“They chose a very odd thing to take,” said Brandon Haught of the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. “It's very easy to connect what was taken and what was in the vehicle.”

Both suspects are now facing burglary and grand theft charges.

WFTV