Copper materials taken from 3 businesses

Rome police are investigating the theft of copper pipe and copper wiring from three North Broad Street businesses.

According to Rome police reports:

The thefts occurred sometime between Thursday afternoon and Friday.

Police were first called out to the North Broad Animal Clinic at 1818 N. Broad St. An employee had arrived for work at 7:40 a.m. Friday and found the basement flooded due to copper water pipe being cut on both ends of the room and removed. In addition to the flooding and stolen pipe, ductwork for the air conditioner had been torn down from the ceiling.

Someone had broken into the basement to commit the theft. Police recovered a small piece of piping, roughly cut on both ends, and submitted it as evidence, hoping to recover fingerprints from it. Photographs were also taken of shoe prints in and around the business.

Employees were attempting to determine a repair estimate.

Then around 9:30 a.m., another call came in concerning the theft of copper pipe and wiring from two air conditioners, which were damaged during the theft, at Larry Martin Real Estate at 1802 N. Broad St. Police found shoe prints leading from the business to the railroad tracks behind it that matched those at the animal clinic.

An officer also recovered a claw hammer, likely used in the theft, and a copper pipe with rough cuts on each end. These items were submitted as evidence.

Later that day, around 2:10 p.m., police were called out to 1817 N. Broad St. for copper piping being removed from an air conditioner, which was rendered inoperable from the theft. Freon had leaked from the air conditioner and would have to be replaced, estimated to cost over $2,000. The damages to the air conditioner were valued at over $500.

An attempt to get inside the business had also been made by breaking out a back door window. However, entry was never made. with felony possession of meth and misdemeanor possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Police found him with the drugs at the intersection of U.S. 411 and Callier Springs Road. valuing $1,000.07 from the Walmart at 825 U.S. 411 on Dec. 17, 2017. She had taken cosmetic items along with a laptop up to a self-checkout machine and pretended to scan the items. She then left the store without paying.

She was released from jail after posting bond.