ASHTABULA — A Conneaut mother and son were arrested on suspicion of removing copper Wednesday from a home on West Prospect Road, police said.
A citizen spotted the woman, 41, and her 18-year-old son loading scrap into a Family Dollar shopping cart, and the citizen called the police, according to police reports. When police arrived, a foot chase ensued, and police found the suspects hiding in a house in the 300 block of West 43rd Street, police said.
They were arrested and transported to the city jail. Their names are being withheld pending their arraignments, police said.
Metal theft is on the rise everywhere, Sgt. John Koski said. Criminals now steal everything from siding off houses to drain grates to copper, for scrap.
Detective Sgt. Joseph Cellitti, Ashtabula Police Department spokesman, has said the city recently has seen a dramatic increase in the number of metal thefts. Copper wiring has been the most popular material stolen, he said.
Police caught six copper thieves two weeks ago, Cellitti said. Five of the suspects were arrested on the west side of Ashtabula; the other suspect was caught in the Ashtabula Harbor neighborhood, he said.
Copper now sells for about $3.30 a pound, according to the N.Y. Mercantile Exchange.
“More citizens are calling when they see something suspicious,” Koski said.
Copper theft is such a problem that city police are making the apprehension of thieves a high priority. When police officers get calls, they react immediately. Cellitti encourages residents to be aware of suspicious activities involving large amounts of metal. People should be especially alert near vacant homes or homes under construction, and at night.
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