Vacant Homes Keeping Cops, Copper Thieves Busy In Brockton

In Brockton, Massachusetts, Wicked Local Brockton reports:

• A suspected copper thief caught hiding in a vacant house wound up getting bagged by police after the officers found a small cache of the metal in his duffle bag. The suspect was arrested Monday night after officers [...] went to 25 West Ashland St. to investigate a report of someone inside a foreclosed house.

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• This wasn’t the first time police were called to the house, [chief of detectives, Lt. John] Crowley said. The officers went there Feb. 19 after neighbors spotted someone at the house, but the officers didn’t go inside because they were sent to another, more pressing call, Crowley said. The arrest [last] week marked the latest case involving the theft of copper pipes from a vacant house, Crowley said. “It hasn’t slowed down at all,” he said. “There are so many houses that are unattended now, it is easy prey for the thieves.”

For more, see Brockton copper theft suspect bagged by loot in the bag.

For other stories on stolen copper, see Copper Thefts I and Copper Thefts II. copper metal theft yak