January 20, 2015
Police say two brothers were jailed on Saturday in Montgomery County for allegedly stealing nearly $500,000 worth of storm sewer grates from the Philadelphia suburbs and selling them for scrap.
Brian, 36, and John Vetrulli Jr., 38, were charged with theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property. Police say the men stole 13 sewer grates from area parking lots since the beginning of December.
Receipts showed they had sold more than 1,000 grates to scrap-metal dealers for just $9 each, according to police. Each 100-pound grate costs about $475.
According to 6abc Action News:
Police claim the men confessed to stealing as much as $500,000 worth of grates throughout the area - more than 1,000 from Philadelphia, Limerick, Collegeville, Plymouth Meeting, Willow Grove, Abington, Bensalem, Haverford, Broomall, Upper Providence, and Montgomeryville.
The brothers were unable to post the $10,000 cash bail as of Tuesday. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30.
