Chattanooga police and area businesses clamp down on copper thieves. Several suspects have been arrested in an undercover sting operation.

According to Sgt. Steve Baker, Commercial Metals of Chattanooga furnished 124 pounds of Copper, 23 pounds of Tungsten steel and 20 pounds of Yellow Brass to help nab the thieves.

Abe Boackle, who is the General Manager for Commercial Metals, is also working to form a Metal Theft Task Force.

The group will help law officers stop thieves from stealing copper and other precious metals across the state.

Lt. Bobby Rodgers of the Property Crimes Division stated, without the assistance of Commercial Metals, the Chattanooga Police would not have been able to make these arrests and gather the intelligence to combat further crimes.

The names of the suspects have not been released.