Thieves take 1,600 pounds of copper, cause major damage | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

County police said thieves cut copper conditioning coils and related piping from eight of the 55 air conditioning units atop the former Mercantile Bank and Trust building in the 700 block of Old Hammonds Ferry Road. The theft caused $259,000 in damages.

Kevin Wade, whose company is renovating the building, told police he checked the computers running the air conditioners and found that the damage was recorded at 3 a.m. June 19.

Workers with Arlington, Va.-based Wade Co. found a pipe cutter behind the building, where police believe the thieves were throwing the copper down from the roof.

Mr. Wade could not be reached for comment. Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank purchased Mercantile last year. The building was sold in December to Altus Realty Partners for $11.5 million in December.

Officials with the owners could not be reached for comment.

The air conditioners, which range in cost from $17,000 to $42,000, were ruined and have to be replaced, police said.

It's not clear how much the copper was worth by itself, but area vendors say a pound of copper is selling for about $2.50 to $3.00.

Ron Vogt, owner of Maryland Recycle Co. in Glen Burnie, said he has seen an increase in the number of people selling - and stealing - copper and other commodities. Maryland Recycle buys copper, aluminum and other scrap metals.

"It's been a problem since copper went over $1," Mr. Vogt said.

In the last year, he said he's had about a half-dozen scrap metal thefts from his company.

His business records the driver's licenses and vehicle tag numbers of everyone who brings in copper to sell and videotapes those transactions, said Mr. Vogt, adding that judges need to impose harsher sentences on copper thieves.

Ken Glendenning, president of the Linthicum-Shipley Improvement Association, echoed Mr. Vogt's thoughts. He pointed to the theft of hundreds of feet of copper wire from overhead lights in Andover Park in Linthicum last year, when thieves hit the sports complex twice in one week.

"Copper and aluminum have a bit of resale value. I know people have been going into parking lots and stealing the catalytic converters out of cars because of the precious metals in them," Mr. Glendenning said. "I think it's a problem all over."