A Farmington man was charged in Dakota County Court Dec. 31 after a Hastings manufacturing company noticed missing metal.
Joshua Kevin Garrahy, 49, Farmington, was charged with receiving stolen property of between $6,000-$20,000 in value.
According to the statement of probable cause in the criminal complaint filed by the Dakota County Attorney’s office, the company reconditions 55-gallon drums for petroleum or chemical use and theft was suspected when the company started running low on incoming raw materials for processing. An inspection of the plant revealed scrap from crushed barrels in dumpsters and numerous trailers that contained piles of crushed drums and other stainless steel items.
It was suspected that Garrahy, the production manager at the plant, had been stacking scrap on trailers rather than placing it in scrap dumpsters where it was taken to be sold. Garrahy was observed by witnesses making sure trailers were in locations not observable by plant cameras on Fridays. Witnesses also reported seeing Garrahy with his truck and enclosed trailer on the property. On July 19, 2024, an employee observed that one of the trailers was missing about 95% of the scrap that had been on it the Friday prior.
The company reached out to JR’s Recycling in Inver Grove Heights and asked if the company had bought any scrap metal from Garrahy. The company confirmed it had bought “a lot” of scrap from him and said to contact law enforcement.
The company set up trail cameras outside the plant, and Garrahy could allegedly be seen at the plant without permission after hours on July 27. “Videos showed multiple people moving crushed drums,” the complaint states.
Recycling company records show that between Dec. 21, 2023 and July 3, 2024, Garrahy allegedly made approximately 20 scrap drop-offs and received $14,781.98. Another recycling company showed a transaction with Garrahy in the amount of $704.
When confronted with the evidence, Garrahy admitted the theft.