A Claremont man was arrested on felony charges after police say he tried to cash in on stolen manhole covers taken from Main Street last week.

Police say Fred Henry Shook Jr., 37, of Claremont, is responsible for the removal of eight manhole covers and 16 water cutoff covers worth $2,320.

The manhole covers were reported stolen Friday during a repaving project along U.S. 70 through downtown Claremont, said Pam Shook, administrative assistant with the Claremont Police Department.  The manhole covers were placed on the side of the road during paving, adjacent to the hole where each belonged. Shook said the suspect came along and picked them up.

“It’s not surprising with the metal prices the way they are,” she said.  “With people stealing copper wire and radiators, it’s not surprising at all.”

She said officers began asking local scrap yard workers if they had seen the stolen manhole covers. Sure enough, she said Working Man’s Recycling in Conover had seen them and identified Fred Shook as the one who brought them in attempting to sell them.  The scrap yard refused to take them.  

The manhole covers are valued at $200 each.

Pam Shook said the suspect also removed 16 covers to water cutoff switches in the city and attempted to sell them as well.  They are valued at $45 each.

Claremont Police Lt. Gary Bost arrested Fred Shook at his home Monday at 4 p.m.

He is charged with larceny and possession of stolen property. Pam Shook said the charges were automatically upgraded to felonies since manhole covers are considered state property.

Fred Shook is being held at the Catawba County Detention Facility on $5,000 unsecured bond. His first appearance in court is scheduled for Wednesday.