WEST BOYLSTON ― Four New York residents face several charges after allegedly trying to steal cables from a cell tower, presumably to later sell for scrap.

The suspects, wearing hard hats, had hoped to come across as T-Mobile subcontractors, police said.

Arrested at the scene, off Lawrence Street, were Tajpaul Moses, 32; Yuvraj Moses, 31; Huckomchan Ramjiawan, 26; and Kevon Alvin Roberts, 24. The Moseses and Ramjiawan are from Schenectady, while Roberts is a Queens resident.

Alerted by an alarm coming from the cell tower shortly after 3 p.m. on Friday, officers found a door in a building at the base had been pried open. Two vehicles with New York registrations were parked nearby.

Geared up with hard hats and equipment, the four men found at the cell tower claimed to be T-Mobile subcontractors assigned to remove 3G coax cables, according to police. The men had no work orders or paperwork to back their claims, police said.

One of the four was making his way up the cell tower, police said.

Meanwhile, Verizon representatives told the department that such work was never approved or allowed. The company told police that such thefts have been an ongoing problem at various cell towers throughout the area.

Police added that cables had been cut inside the office and outside on the tower.

The four were held without bail, pending arraignment on Monday at Clinton District Court, facing a felony charge of breaking and entering a building in the daytime and one count of larceny over $1,200 amid other charges.

“Area police departments in New England have reported similar crimes at their cell towers, with the same described vehicles that were involved in the West Boylston theft,” police said.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 4 NY men, wearing hard hats, tried to steal wire from cell tower