Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
2 arrested for stealing ‘extensive amount’ of copper
WEST VINCENT >> Two men were arrested over the weekend after a two-month investigation into numerous nighttime burglaries that included a substantial theft of copper piping from occupied and unoccupied residences, according to police.
West Vincent Township Police Officer Justin Fritz arrested Andrew Bateman, 34, of Spring City, and Michael Martin, 33, of Pottstown, for the thefts that occurred in residences in the 1200, 1300, 1400 and 1700 blocks of
St. Matthews Road, Flint Road and Bryn Coed Lane, in West Vincent Township.
Police became alerted on Oct. 1 that several unoccupied buildings on the former Bryn Coed Property, which was recently purchased by West Vincent Township and Natural Lands, had been broken into and an extensive amount of copper piping and wiring had been taken.
In the days that followed, building materials with a value of more than $600 were taken from a nearby construction site of a new home. In addition, a Honda ATV with a value of more than $2,000 was taken from the garage of an occupied home.
A few days later a Cannondale bicycle valued at $10,000 and two Garmin GPS units were taken from a vehicle parked at a residence in the 1700 block of St. Matthews Road. All of the thefts occurred in the late night hours.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 9, copper fuel lines were cut and removed from a fuel tank in a home on Bryn Coed Lane. The home is part of the 500 acres Bryn Coed Estate that was recently purchased and preserved by Natural Lands.
The fuel tank was filled with heating oil which poured out when the pipes were cut and leaked into the foundation of the home, then into a nearby spring and ultimately polluted an exceptional value stream.
Once discovered by Natural Land employees, a hazmat response team was called in, as well as an environmental cleanup company, to contain the oil. The cost of the damage to the house and the cleanup of the stream, which is still underway, will exceed $200,000.
Since all of the incidents were in a close proximity to the former Bryn Coed Property, police installed numerous “deer” surveillance cameras in and around the area.
Those cameras were able to capture images and video of the suspects. The time-stamped photos also showed that all their activity occurred between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 5:20 a.m.
Police shared those images on Facebook and received information that Martin was reportedly the individual in the picture pulling a wagon loaded with copper piping. Police also recovered the stolen ATV which was found inside the garage of a nearby unoccupied building.
In the early morning hours of Oct. 20, police conducted a covert surveillance detail on the Bryn Coed Property.
At approximately 3:08 a.m., Bateman was confronted by Officer Fritz. As Fritz attempted to place Bateman under arrest, Bateman reportedly took off running and began yelling loudly “run.”
Fritz chased Bateman from the 1400 block of St. Matthews Road to a large wooded area near Flowing Springs Road where Bateman was able to hide and elude capture, according to police. The following day two West Vincent Township public works employees found a cellphone near the location where the foot pursuit with Bateman and police began.
A search warrant was secured and a forensic audit of the phone was executed. Police were able to identify the phone belonged to Bateman and said they recovered incriminating conversations with Martin, text messages and photos pertaining to the burglaries, as well as other criminal activity outside of West Vincent Township.
On Nov. 2, the West Vincent Police Department along with the East Vincent Police Department executed a search warrant on Bateman’s home in East Vincent Township. Bateman and Martin were both at the house when police arrived.
Police said Bateman was interviewed and voluntarily confessed to multiple burglaries and was placed under arrest. Martin, who police said is currently on parole for sexual assault, refused to cooperate with police and was arrested. Both were taken into custody without incident.
Police said the search of Bateman’s home yielded numerous items that were seized in conjunction to the burglaries, including night vision goggles and a sawedoff shot gun. Controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were also seized from the home. Police also found documentation of several thousands of dollars worth of copper sold by Martin to Mayer Pollock Scrap in Pottstown.
Bateman was charged with a total of 77 felonies including burglary, risking a catastrophe, flight to avoid apprehension, theft by unlawful taking, theft of secondary metal, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities.
Martin was charged with 14 felonies including burglary, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property and theft of secondary metal. Both were arraigned by District Justice Hines. Bail was set at $15,000 cash each.
Their preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 19 in front of District Judge John A. Hipple.
Unable to post bail, both defendants are in Chester County Prison. This investigation is ongoing.