Copper prices entice thieves; Vermont church hit

Published: 2008-02-14

BENNINGTON, Vt. (CNS) -- With the price of copper skyrocketing, not even churches are safe from thieves who rip off any copper they can get their hands on and then sell it at salvage yards. Thieves ripped about 120 feet of copper drainpipe from the Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales parish center in Bennington, and repairs were expected to cost about $1,500. "There's a problem going on with this kind of theft," said Holy Cross Father James Preskenis, pastor. As the price of copper has increased -- from about 75 cents a pound in 2004 to more than $3 a pound now -- the theft of various types of copper has increased. "Copper that is easily accessible has been stolen," commented Peter Wells, director of insurance and facilities for the statewide Diocese of Burlington. Thieves "sell it at scrap-metal yards." Father Preskenis said about a half-dozen sections of copper drainpipe were stolen from the parish center on two nights in January. "Two nights in a row," he lamented in an interview with The Vermont Catholic Tribune, newspaper of the Burlington Diocese.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .