Thieves who stole thousands of dollars’ worth of roofing materials from a job site were recently arrested by Oklahoma City police.

As reported by ABC-affiliated KOCO, security footage showed the suspects pulling into a homeowner’s driveway in a white van and loading it with shingles and hardware. According to Guardian Roofing and Construction owner John Harth, the materials were delivered around 6:45 a.m. He said the crooks looked like contractors as they got away with goods valued at $5,000. 

"Come to find out, there’s been another incident in and around that area, with the same thing happening, to the tune of about the same amount of money," Harth told KOCO.

As most contractors know, once a material drop is made, the materials become the property of the owner or customer. Harth explains this has resulted in customers contacting their insurance company to file theft and grand larceny cases. KOCO notes that, because of this, the project was not only delayed, but it will cost the customer more.

Harth thinks this isn’t the only type of theft happening in the area. He thinks post-job robberies are taking place as well.

"It’s like they’re trained and they know what they’re doing. They’ll come after a job is complete, show up in the same vans, and they’ve come to pick up the leftover materials," Harth told KOCO.

Money is the likely motivation, Harth speculates, as people are allowed to sell these materials. The theory has legs – material prices continue to climb and the dregs of the supply shortage still linger.

According to KOCO, Oklahoma City police arrested two suspected related to the incident. They have not been formally charged as of publication.