Height no hindrance to copper thieves in Libertyville

Thefts of valuable building materials, such as copper, have been a problem for builders and other tradesmen for years.

But Libertyville police are investigating two cases of enterprising thievery that have surprised even authorities.

In the larger of the two thefts, someone removed 280 feet of copper gutters and downspouts from the main building and coach house at the David Adler Cultural Center.

They were not bundled on the ground for installation or repair, but were attached to the buildings, likely since the 1920s, and had the deep green patina that comes with years of oxidation.

A copper water line also was cut, but the intruders apparently moved on after causing a leak, police said.

"It's just shocking. I can't believe it. All these years you have these copper gutters here and come to work one day and they're gone," said Dianna Monie, executive director.

Staff reported the gutters missing July 29.

"The price of copper has gone up and they're (police) assuming that's why," she added.

In the second theft, reported Tuesday morning, about 40 feet of old copper gutter and downspouts were ripped from the roof of the Libertyville Civic Center, built in 1935 as the village post office.

"I work here every day. I didn't even notice. All of a sudden, it's like 'Wham. Where did they go?' " explained Anne Carlino, building supervisor for the Libertyville Civic Center Foundation, which operates the building.

At Adler, a pry bar and folding chair found at the scene provided clues as to how intruders removed sections of gutter and 14 downspouts. One area was partially obstructed, Monie said.

"Somebody had to get up in a very difficult spot to get that gutter off," she said.

A gutter section at the Civic Center was near a power line, according to Carlino.

"Anybody getting up there would be nuts," she said.

Like other communities, Libertyville police have investigated their share of copper theft, but it has primarily been pipes or wiring from houses under construction. Police won't say if they consider the thefts related, but agree the targets were unusual.

"I haven't heard of installed gutters being torn off," Police Chief Pat Carey said. "Of course most gutters aren't copper."

The value of the commodity has been an attractive lure for thieves. The price for scrap copper reached an all-time high of about $4 per pound in April, according to Acme Refining, a Chicago-based recycler with facilities in Lake Bluff, Elgin, Joliet and Blue Island.

Though the price is now about $3.50 per pound, copper is much more valuable than the $2 per pound it fetched three years ago. The gauge or thickness of the copper, its percentage of the material and the trading price affect the value.

"It's very profitable apparently," said Gary Dowty, executive vice-president of the Lake County Contractors Association. The group has 260 members, about half of them building contractors.

"It's a constant problem in the industry," Dowty added. "It's a national issue."

For some time, construction companies, utilities, road builders and others have been seeing copper, iron and other materials disappear.

The problem has become so pronounced in Australia, for example, authorities there this week solicited public help through TV, radio and billboard advertising to catch copper thieves.

Last month, employees at four McHenry County metal scrap yards were arrested on charges of unlawfully buying copper wire without obtaining identification from sellers. Police had been investigating a black market for stolen copper.

"We see reports of thieves just taking copper wire off the (utility) poles," Dowty said. While irksome, the problem has not grown so serious here as to threaten the completion of projects, he said.

"Typically, when we see the economy gets a little more tight ... if there's a profit to be made, somebody is going to do it."

Home builders are most vulnerable because the site is more open than commercial building sites, which may have fencing or other security in place, he added.

Lake County investigators have not seen increase in copper theft, likely because there are fewer new homes being built in unincorporated areas, according Sgt. Christopher Thompson, spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

"We've handled many cases, just not as of late," he said. "Unfortunately, there is a market for stolen copper and things of that nature."

Libertyville police didn't provide the weight, but said they were told by scrap dealers the value of the Adler gutters was only abut $50.

"It's going to cost a lot more than that to fix the building," Carey said.

Copper downspouts cost about $7 a foot and gutters about $5 a foot, according to ABC Supply Co., a roofing supplier in Mundelein. That does not include any mark up or the cost of installation, which can hike the price substantially because of specialized skills required.

Both Adler and the Civic Center are owned by the village. Adler presents a special case because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"If we want to maintain our historic status, the expectation is we replace them as they originally were on the building," Monie said.

Village officials intend to do that and are securing quotes. The theft is covered by insurance.

"Something like this happening really points out this building is an important structure and it's costly when something is taken," Monie said.