Atlanta Watershed employees Antonio Denson, Larry Tyler, Kenneth Carson and Aaron Aver charged with theft

Atlanta police said four Atlanta Watershed Management employees were charged with theft Monday afteoon.

Antonio Denson, Larry Tyler, and Aaron Avery are facing felony theft by taking charges.

Kenneth Carson faces a misdemeanor theft by taking charge.

Denson, Tyler and Carson were taken into custody just before 4 p.m. Monday.

Atlanta Watershed Management officials said Avery will tu himself in.

Tyler, Avery and Carson are water distribution service workers. Denson is a construction maintenance worker.   

Denson is accused of netting nearly $7,000 from scrapping stolen goods. Police said he went to one scrap yard 54 times between 2010 and 2014, according to reports. Police said he admitted the thefts to a detective and told him he did it for gas money and food, adding he was struggling financially at the time.

Tyler is accused of netting more than $7,000 and going to a scrap yard 37 times between 2009 and 2013. Police said he admitted to scrapping and said he did it for gas money. He told them he scrapped things he took from old fire hydrants, according to reports. He said he did not think it was a crime because the items were old, the reports say.

Carson is accused of netting $892 from scrapping materials. Police said he told them he did not know it was illegal. They said the materials he scrapped were from Chastain Park.

Avery is accused of netting nearly $3,000 between 2010 and 2013. Reports said Avery told police a supervisor told him he could throw old materials in the trash if he did not want them.

The charges are a result of an inteal and Atlanta Police Department joint investigation.  Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are likely.