4 arrested, accused of metal theft at Castle

Several arrests have been made in connection with a string of recent wire and metal thefts at Castle Airport, the Merced County Sheriff's Department reported.

Atwater residents Joseph Niehaus, 30, James Drennen, 36, Anthony Stead, 37, and Miriah Randall, 35, were arrested at separate times and locations in connection with the thefts, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie, sheriff's spokesman.

MacKenzie said the thefts have been reported since December, with a value of more than $10,000 -- and causing about as much in property damage. The thieves would take the metal and sell it as scrap at local recycling plants, MacKenzie said.

According to detectives, Niehaus and Randall were identified as the primary thieves and Drennen and Stead would buy the metal from them for cash and drugs. Drennen and Stead would then trade the metal in at recycle plants for cash, MacKenzie said.

Receipts obtained by detectives from the recycling plants coincided with the dates of the thefts. The arrests were made over the period of a few weeks and Niehaus turned himself in after being profiled as one of Merced County's Most Wanted. Randall and Stead have already posted bail while Niehaus and Drennen remain in custody, MacKenzie said.

-- Sun-Star