Police investigating copper thefts

POLICE INVESTIGATING COPPER THEFTS

Photo by The Carolina Scoop's Jon Mayhew
Angela Brown, manager of EPW Communications in Lincolnton, points to where theives took copper wire sometime
late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- Several businesses in the Wal-Mart shopping center on Generals Boulevard got an unexpected
surprise coming into work on Wednesday. Workers discovered copper had been stolen from the air conditioning
units behind businesses in the center just after 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Angela Brown, manager of EPW Communications, said she didn't think anything was wrong Wednesday
morning when she first came into work because the temperature in her store was 69 degrees.

As the day wore on, however, it got warmer inside the store.

"We heard about this from one of the air conditioning guys," said Brown, adding she walked out back behind
her store and discovered where a theif or theives had cut the copper tubing from the wall to the AC unit.

At least two businesses -- EPW Communications and GNC -- have had copper tubing taken from AC units. As police
were investigating at EPW, GNC employees called police to report the theft at their store.

Brown said now, it's up to the property owner to replace the tubing.

"I don't know how long it's going to be before it's replaced," said Brown.

Police are still investigating.