A growing crime is causing concern in Roanoke and across Southwest Virginia: thieves are stealing copper at rates not seen before, leaving behind costly damage and frustration for property owners.
10 News Community Journalist Bella Walser recently spoke with a local property owner who says thieves broke into a vacant home in a Roanoke City neighborhood and stripped it of copper pipes. Police say it can take just minutes for copper to be stolen, but the damage left behind can take days or even weeks to repair.
Walser was able to go to the home where the crime took place and see the aftermath. The water had been running for days under the house after thieves took the copper pipes, leaving behind hundreds of dollars in damage.
Jack Wilkinson, who works with a local real estate company, explained how the crime unfolded. The home was empty when thieves broke in, so no one realized the pipes were missing until the water authority called.
“We went over there and saw water everywhere, took a couple of days and it cost probably about $800 to fix it,” Wilkinson said. “After we posted about it, we had people commenting saying it happened to them too.”
Police say this isn’t just one case. Roanoke County Police have investigated multiple copper thefts this spring alone. In December, Bedford Police arrested two men accused of a string of copper thefts across the region. And in March, Buena Vista Police recovered more than $3,500 worth of stolen copper fittings.
So why is copper such a target? Metal recyclers and police say copper remains attractive to thieves because it’s easy to remove, easy to sell, and commonly found in vacant homes, construction sites, and air conditioning units.
“Most of the time they’re looking for homes that they can get in and out of it easily,” said an officer with Roanoke County Police.
To help prevent thefts, police recommend that property owners check vacant homes often, install cameras or lighting, and report suspicious activity quickly.
Jack shared his own solution: “We just replaced our pipes with PEX because it’s worth less and no one would steal it.”
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Ever wanted to see a behind-the-scenes look at all that goes into our reporting? Check out this TikTok video from Jack Wilkinson of 10 News Community Journalist Bella Walser working for you:
@jackwilkinson620 We Buy Houses Roanoke VA Text 540-527-2000 oh and we get interviewed too because our home got broken into and the copper pipes were stolen. #roanokeva
♬ original sound - Jack