A Roanoke Rapids man has been charged with allegedly stealing storm grates belonging to the city and selling some of them for scrap.

Brandon Dean Hux, 27, of Straight Road, Roanoke Rapids, faces three counts of obtaining property by false pretense and three counts of larceny, according to Captain Andy Jackson of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department.

On March 29, the city Public Works Department reported that six storm grates were missing from Anna Louise Lane.

The storm grates were recovered at United Salvage and Auto on Highway 903.

On March 14 there was a report of 14 storm grates stolen from River’s Edge Parkway off Old Farm Road.

Hux was charged with larceny of nine of them, Jackson said. They were not recovered.

The first four storm grates stolen from River’s Edge fetched Hux $101.75 while the second five fetched $121. “This is a nation wide problem,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the police department is conferring with the district attorney’s office to see whether a new provision in the metal theft law can be applied in future cases. That provision allows for a person’s vehicle to be confiscated if it was used to transport stolen metal to a salvage yard.

Hux was given a $2,500 unsecured bond and has a May 2 court date.