Copper Thefts Reported in Middletown

The Middletown Police Department has reported a string of copper and air conditioner thefts over the weekend.

Copper piping was removed from two air conditioners at the rear of The Meat Store on New Falls Road sometime overnight between Nov. 9 and Nov. 10. The value of the loss is estimated at $20,000. 

Family Dollar Store on New Falls Road reported theft of copper piping from their air conditioner system the same night, according to the report. 

The Bucks Real Estate Center on Veterans Highway reports sometime Nov. 10 and Nov. 11, the interior components of three air conditioner units were removed from the rear of the building. The units are valued at approximately $20,000. 

The metal has become a popular item for thieves to steal and sell for scrap. According to the latest NASDAQ charts, copper sells for approximately $3.26 per pound.

A report released earlier this year from the National Insurance Crime Bureau states that 96 percent of claims filed for metal thefts between 2010 and 2012 were copper-related. The report says the number of claims has correlated with the rising price of copper.