Fred Hamlett: Airport Employee Allegedly Sets New Record for Scrap Metal Theft

By Paul Friswold Tue., Jul. 3 2012 at 9:59 AM

Categories: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

To sell it for scrap, or not to sell it for scrap; that is the question.

Scrap metal thieves have swiped air conditioners from motels and churches, and not even the trash cans are safe anymore. But all of those thefts are small potatoes compared to the charges filed against Fred S. Hamlett, 51. If they are proven, he'll become king of the scrappers.

Hamlett was the airfield maintenance supervisor at Lambert St. Louis International Airport. Police received an anonymous tip that an airport employee had some heavy-duty equipment stored at his house. They investigated and found the man did indeed have a salt spreader and a trailer that belonged to the airport.

His excuse? He was allegedly storing 'em for Hamlett until he could sell them for scrap.

Further investigation by the police yielded receipts from Hamlett's office that they claim show he sold 17.8 tons of airport metal for scrap, for $5,512. That's 35,660 pounds of metal, which means he earned roughly fifteen cents a pound.

Hamlett is no longer employed by the airport, but not to worry: If he needs money, he can probably get a couple thousand bucks by scrapping his big brass balls.