Alleged rail line theft lands American Fork man in jail

An American Fork man was in Utah County Jail Tuesday following his arrest for allegedly taking old rail lines to sell for scrap metal.

The 42-year-old suspect was arrested Monday afternoon in Lehi after police received a 911 call that a man was stealing railroad ties from an old Union Pacific Railroad site near 400 East and State Street. When officers arrived, however, they reportedly found the suspect actually was loading steel rails, not the wooden ties, onto a trailer.

The man initially claimed he had permission to salvage the rails to sell as scrap, but UP officials denied the story.

The suspect was booked on suspicion of theft, criminal trespassing and possession of a control substance. Bond was set at $5,000.

The arrestee also had been booked on Oct. 21, 2011, on suspicion of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia possession, jail records show. He posted $5,000 bond and was released on those charges on Nov. 4, 2011.

That case was pending further court action.

remims@sltrib.com