LAWRENCE - Thieves go after scrap metal at a recycling center in Lawrence, and they're caught on a surveillance camera in Florida.
Minutes later, the pair is sitting in the backseat of a police cruiser in handcuffs.
It all happened that quickly Thursday morning.
Arthur Karas, owner of Winfield Alloy, was sitting in his Florida home at 4 in the morning when he fired up his computer to find a theft unfolding in his scrap metal yard at 15 Medford St., police said.
His business security camera revealed two men loading a white truck with metal from the yard.
The same type of crime had been happening for months. Thieves in a white truck with the word "Mover" painted on it had been seen at Winfield's, stealing. So, Karas installed a surveillance system that he could monitor from anywhere, like Florida.
It paid off.
When Karas saw the men he reached for the phone and called city Officer Alberto Inostroza, who'd investigated his earlier theft complaints. He told him of the men and the now-familiar white truck.
Karas remained on the phone as Inostroza moved in on the suspects.
Police arrested Jose Vivas, 23, of Arlington and Pastor DeJesus, 19, of Boston and charged them with larceny.
According to police reports, Vivas admitted he'd stolen metal from the yard several times and resold it at scrap yards in East Boston and Revere. DeJesus said he'd only been working for Vivas for a week.
Police are investigating whether the truck they were using had been reported stolen. It is owned by a recycling company in Revere.
