Copper thieves strike northeast Raleigh homes, businesses
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- The theft of copper wire from nearly two dozen air conditioning units in northeast Raleigh has cost the owners tens of thousands of dollars.
Raleigh police report that in the past week about 20 units at business near the intersections of Falls of the Neuse and Millbrook Road, and at Falls and Spring Forest Road have had copper wire stripped out of them.
The price of copper is high and thieves can often sell as scrap what they steal from an air conditioning unit for a couple of hundred dollars.
It's not clear if the thefts are all related.
The businesses are close together, but the two neighborhoods that were hit are several miles away.
The houses affected are unoccupied so the builder has to foot the bill for new A/C units.
However, those neighborhoods, off Forestville and Louisburg Roads, are mostly built out and the majority of the homes are occupied.
Brian Cooke just bought one right across the street from where thieves struck. It's the first time his family has owned their own home and having to pay thousands to replace an air conditioning unit isn't in their budget.
"It bothers me because I don't see the reason to have to do it myself because I work hard every day," said Cooke. "I don't think anybody should come and take that from me."
Raleigh police are on the lookout for the thief or thieves. They say business and home owners need to be alert as well.
