By rssfeeds-admin 
The alleged thief was caught on cameras walking off with a handful of stolen copper pipes and wires after he cut them off three of the air conditioning units at the Life Church 180 along Lynhurst Drive.
Pastor Brian Correll said a lawn mowing crew was the first to notice the damage in mid-May. The alleged thief was able to hit two of the units then but came back a week later for the third one.
The units have been out of commission ever since, and on a warm days, their absence is noticeable.
“Everything on the south side of the building runs off of these three,” Correll said.
IMPD reported that copper thefts are common, especially on the southwest side of Indianapolis, where there is a high concentration of scrapyards that will buy the precious metal.
“Unfortunately, there is criminal activity that occurs with individuals seeking that quick little bit of money if it’s for narcotics or whatever their choice is,” IMPD Officer Tommy Thompson said.
While detectives work to track down the thief, Thompson said people being vigilant can help.
“That’s where the community has to come forward,” Thompson said. “If they’re seeing that suspicious activity day or night in the vacant homes or vacant building or structures.”
Correll said the church has decided to build cages around the air conditioning units to better protect them once they are fixed.
Correll is still waiting on a final estimate, but believes fixing or even replacing the units could cost up to $20,000. Insurance will cover some but not all of it.
While he said he was angry at first, Correll hopes the thief is caught and will change his ways.
“We shifted our prayer from vengeance to ‘OK maybe this is the avenue,'” Correll said. “Maybe this is what it’s gonna take to open up their eyes.”
IMPD is asking those with information on the alleged copper thief to call its southwest district detectives at (317) 327-6452.
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