The search is on for some thieves who've gotten away with more than $80,000 worth of copper from two wholesale electrical companies. 

Tony Larkins, Manager of City Electric Supply on Northside Drive, tells Channel 2 Action News the theives, who believes are professionals, broke through a brick wall in order to get to the copper.

"This is a double brick wall so obviously they had to knock the first side out and knock the other side out," said Larkins.

Once inside, Larkins said they made off with 181 spools of wire, valued at $80,000. 

He says they knew their were surveillance cameras were there and came back a second time.

"You know, it's sad.  The first thing you would think of is it's an inside job, somebody's got to know this.  Then last week, we heard another store in South Carolina got hit," said Larkins.

A city electrics store in Rome was hit two weeks ago after thieves cut a hole in the side of the wall.  In that case, they managed to get away with $70,000 in copper.

Larkins thinks the men have a background in securit since the thefts are well-planned and they managed to avoid the motion detectors even after they cut a whole in the wall.