Uniontown police investigating string of burglaries across the city

UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Uniontown police are investigating a number of burglaries across the city of thieves stealing copper from air conditioners. The theft is extremely costly to fix, while only getting the thief a few dollars. Investigators say the thieves have hit at least 20 businesses, and they believe there are more victims who haven’t turned on their air conditioners yet.

“Get a life, it was a 3-foot-long piece of copper ... they got like four bucks out of it!” said Chrissy Minerd and Joe Donkers of Brian’s Auto Repair Shop on Johnstown Avenue in Uniontown.

The owners were alerted from their neighbors, Brothers Lazer, that they should check their air conditioner and found the copper had been stolen. Brothers Lazer caught the thief on surveillance video with the stolen copper in his fist.

Uniontown Police say the cost to repair these units ranges from a few thousand to 20 thousand dollars. They encourage business owners to check air conditioning units, install bright lights, alarms and good surveillance cameras.

Donkers told us he is extremely angry, and has nothing to say to the thief. “I probably wouldn’t say anything, I’d probably just chokeslam them... that’s about the nicest thing I can say at this point.”

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