Brothers Charged in Theft of Copper Piping

Two Phoenixville men were caught red-handed Thursday removing copper pipes from an abandoned East Pikeland Township home, police said.

East Pikeland Police on routine patrol around 2 p.m. Thursday noticed a car parked on the property of an abandoned house on the 110 block of Western Road, police said. Officers followed footprints in the snow to the back of the property, where they found that a rear door had been forced open.

Officers entered the house and found two men inside removing copper pipes, police said.

Brothers Cory Cantwell and Kelby Cantwell, both 23 of the 500 block of West High Street in Phoenixville, were charged with theft; receiving stolen property; criminal trespass; criminal mischief and burglary, police said.

Both were arraigned and released on $10,000 unsecured bail, police said.