By Matt Sepic, KWMU
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kwmu/local-kwmu-597318.mp3
St. Louis, MO – For the last few years one of the frustrations of the construction business has been thieves who steal copper, but now crooks have their eye on more than just pipes and wire.
Rich clay deposits once made St. Louis the nation's brick capital. Today its distinctive red bricks are a hot commodity for builders so hot that some people are stealing entire walls off old buildings.
Despite the slump in housing there's still a strong demand for used bricks. The crime is known as 'brick rustling.'
As KWMU's Matt Sepic reports for Marketplace, the crime is on the rise in St. Louis.
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