LONGVIEW — Three East Texas men were taken into custody for allegedly stealing railroad property.

It happened this morning at around 2:10 a.m. in the 1000 block of East Whaley Street.

Railroad employees told officials they had seen several men loading company property into a gold SUV. When the burglars noticed the employees, they jumped into the Jeep and left the scene.

Police stopped a vehicle fitting the description of the SUV driving southbound on Eastman Road. The accused burglars were identified and found with about $500 of stolen property.

During a search of the men, two were found to have brass knuckles in their pockets. Officers arrested all three, who were identified as 35-year old Michael Wayne Marlitt and 21-year old Jarred Bakarr Holl, both of Kilgore and 21-year old William Randall Brunson of Longview.

Brunson was arrested on a total of ten charges including possession of a prohibited weapon, theft M/A and a warrant for military desertion.

Marlitt was arrested on charges including criminal trespass, theft M/A, prohibited weapon and a no insurance warrant.

Holland was arrested for criminal trespass and theft M/A, and he was also issued 4 class C citations.

All three were taken to the Gregg County Jail without incident.