NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WPRI) — Police have arrested a North Attleboro man accused of stealing precious metals from the luxury jewelry company he worked for and selling them for personal profit, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy.

Benjamin Preacher, 54, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with engaging in unlawful monetary transactions.

Levy said Preacher swiped gold, silver and platinum from a Rhode Island manufacturing facility while working there as a supervisor.

Court documents show Preacher used his position to steal the precious metals and personally sell them to various Massachusetts businesses.

Preacher allegedly sold precious metals to a Canton-based dealer once or twice a month over the course of three years. Levy said sales to that dealer alone topped $1 million.

According to court documents, those sales included:

$50,521 in 18-carat gold in March 2020
$21,821 in 18-carat gold, “Platinum scrap” and “Sterling” in April 2021
$30,939 in platinum in January 2022
Courtesy: Office of acting U.S. Attorney Joshua LevyCourtesy: Office of acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy

Preacher is also accused of selling more than $177,000 worth of metals to a separate dealer in West Bridgewater. Levy said those sales included gold sheets used by the manufacturing facility in a particular machine, along with other gold scrap, for $21,000.

Preacher was captured on security footage in the facility earlier this month stealing a piece of white gold “flat stock” valued at approximately $2,200, according to Levy. Precious metals in scrap form were found inside Preacher’s home on Thursday.

Preacher has been working at the manufacturing facility since 2018. It’s unclear whether he is still employed.

Levy said Preacher faced a judge on Friday and was released on conditions pending his next court date.