An alert citizen who spotted something suspicious along Tacoma’s waterfront Wednesday night helped police nab two men suspected of trying to steal nearly $100,000 in metal.

Tacoma police said the men, who were wearing hard hats and orange vests, we spotted loading items into a large truck and trailer near a railroad yard at north 31^st and Carr.

Police said the activity appeared suspicious because the men were working between 8-9 p.m. when the yard is usually closed. 

Police were called and officers arrived to find the two loading large amounts of metal.

 Officers held the men at the scene until a railroad yardmaster arrived and told them the men were not railroad employees.

 Both were taken into custody on charges of first-degree theft.

The metal that was loaded onto the men’s trailer is valued from $75,000-$100,000.