Claremore Daily Progress

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December 4, 2009

Copper thieves target vacant building on Industrial Boulevard

By Tom Fink

December 4, 2009 — For the third time in as many weeks, Claremore police are looking into reports of copper theft within city limits.

According to Claremore Police investigator Chuck Goad, an estimated $15,000 in copper pipe was stolen from the abandoned C.L.S. Pratt building at 210 Industrial Boulevard some time last weekend.

“Unlike the previous thefts (at the elementary school construction site), in this instance, the copper pipe stolen had been in use when the factory was in operation,” said Lt. Goad. “To be up to code, the business was required to use copper pipe to transport oxygen and chemicals for welding, and was therefore, attached and suspended near the ceiling. “

In mid-November, thieves twice broke into a trailer at the construction site of the southside Claremore elementary school, damaging and stealing video equipment, and making off with upwards of $5,000 in copper pipe — crimes which Goad felt were “crimes of opportunity.”

“Really, most people know that there’s going to be copper around at a big commercial construction site, a lot of it, all in one place,” he said. “We felt those two thefts were likely to be connected, but at this point, we’re unsure whether those thefts are related to the copper theft at C.L.S. Pratt.”

Total damages to the site on Industrial were estimated at $17,000, Goad said, with damage to the fence and inside the building itself.

As Goad said previously, copper is a particularly desirable metal to thieves as it can be readily sold for a high dollar as scrap metal.

Persons with information regarding any of these thefts are encouraged to contact the Claremore Police Department at 341-1212.

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