Michigan City Reports Rash of Copper Pipe Thefts

Police in Kalamazo, Mich., are reporting a string of burglaries in vacant homes in which the thieves seem to have been mainly interested in stealing copper pipes.

Public safety Lt. Dave Ostrander says that “there have been 15 burglaries of vacant homes in which the property taken is primarily copper piping from the basements” since June 1.

Ostrander says the thieves targeted homes that had been empty for weeks or months and says many of the homes had for rent or for sale signs in the front yard.

He says the burglaries are mainly in the Vine Neighborhood and says the thieves broke in through lower windows or doors.