On Sunday, July 27 the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of an alleged robbery at a gravel pit in Sauk Rapids.

Chief Deputy Troy Heck says the operator of the gravel pit, located at 5801 Highway 95 Northeast, called to report that his security system showed people stealing copper wire from the site.

When deputies arrived at the scene no suspects were found, but an investigation proved that copper wire was missing from the pit.

Heck adds that Deputies collected evidence from the scene including surveillance photos of the suspects and their vehicle.

Two days later on July 29, a detective on the case saw a vehicle matching the one from the surveillance photos at a St. Cloud metal dealer.

Heck says the person with the vehicle had been at the metal dealer to sell copper wire.

Investigators issued a search warrant the next day to search the apartment of the person selling copper wire. More wire, tools, and other items from the gravel pit robbery were found.

Investigators add that the items were linked to 38-year-old Billy Quirk of Sauk Rapids and 25-year-old Nicholas Dougherty of St. Cloud. Both were arrested on charges of theft.

Quirk and Dougherty are currently being held at the Benton County Jail with bail set at $10,000.