WINTON – A Norfolk, Virginia couple is behind bars in Hertford County.

According to Hertford County Sheriff Juan Vaughan, Rachel Kitty Marks and her husband, Tim Marks, are in jail after allegedly taking more than 10,000 pounds of ferrovanadium from Nucor Steel Friday afternoon. Ferrovanadium is an alloy used by Nucor in the process of making steel.

Sheriff Vaughan said his office received a call just after 3:30 p.m. Friday from workers at Nucor Steel indicating a vehicle was headed out of the facility with stolen pallets.

Hertford County Deputy William Stroud then stopped a 2009 Chevy K-3 truck which was pulling a large trailer at the intersection of River Road and Camp Street near Winton. Rachel Marks was driving the vehicle and her husband was a passenger.

Investigation revealed the trailer and pallets contained the ferrovanadium which was allegedly stolen from Nucor.

Rachel Marks, 37, was charged with larceny, possession of stolen goods and felony conspiracy. She was placed in the Hertford County Jail under a $250,000 secured bond. Tim Marks, 41, was placed under a $250,000 secured bond facing the same charges. Both list an address of Tidewater Drive in Norfolk.

“We appreciate the employees of Nucor contacting us so quickly,” Sheriff Vaughan said. “If it hadn’t been for their quick reaction, things may not have come to an end so quickly.”

Deputy Stroud was aided by Investigators Dexter Hayes, John Joyner and Brian Pearce, all of the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office.