Man Suspected Of Stealing $8,000 Worth Of Metals From Inola Business

Rogers County Deputies arrested a man accused of stealing $8,000 worth of copper and metal from an Inola business.

Investigators said the suspect, Randy Marks, told the security guard at the business that Marks works for a nonprofit and had permission to take the metal.

Deputies said Marks used the name of the vice president and left a gift for them in order to convince the security guard he had permission. They also said Marks claimed he worked for a nonprofit that helps the homeless and drug addicts in order to steal the metals.

"From copper to stainless steel,” Lieutenant Kyle Baker with the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office said. “They even used ParFab's own equipment, forklifts and loaders to load the materials on to his trailer.”

Lieutenant Baker said Marks tricked the security guard into thinking Marks was on a mission of mercy.

"We recovered multiple receipts from the recycling centers and even the receipt that we believe is tied to the materials he stole from ParFab,” Baker said.

Investigators said they tracked down the rental truck which led them to Marks at his house in Broken Arrow. Investigators said Marks spends $1,000 a month on rental cars, hoping to cover his tracks. 

"We also learned that he traveled frequently out of state, to sell, scrap or "recycle," these materials that he had stolen to get money,” Baker said. “He was very confident on what he was doing, by researching the business, name dropping someone who actually worked there, and was high up in management, even had a gift for the individuals."

Deputies said Marks spent time in prison in Kansas for lying in order to steal and said he was released in 2016.