Community Corner

Metal Scrappers Strike Blackwood Church, Others in South Jersey

Metal scrappers are stealing air-conditioning units and copper piping all over South Jersey, including from churches.

Illegal metal-scrapping.

If it's not already what could be considered a crime epidemic, it's fast on its way to becoming one here in South Jersey.

Scrapping is not a bad way to make a few bucks if you're doing it the legal way.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When you're ripping air-conditioning units from the walls of unsuspecting victims or breaking into abandoned buildings or vacant homes to pull out copper piping, it's a big problem.

That's exactly what happened earlier this month at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church, located in the township's Blackwood section, when five air-conditioning units were stolen.

Find out what's happening in Gloucester Townshipwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

From a church?

"It's kind of upsetting, and it kind of shows the lack of respect that is unfortunately rampant in our culture today," Suzanne Bottoms, wife of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church pastor Rev. Dennis Bottoms, said on Friday.

Luther Memorial is not alone when it comes to South Jersey churches that have been victimized by metal scrappers, either.

Bottoms says a Pennsauken church she recently visited also had its air-conditioning units stolen, and a Woodbury church's parsonage was hit by scrappers who stole "almost every piece of metal they could get their hands on" in recent weeks, according to a West Deptford Patch report.

Five air-conditioning unit condensers were stolen from Luther Memorial sometime July 1 or July 2.

Gloucester Township Police place the crime between 12 p.m. July 1 and 6 p.m. July 2. Officials at the small church believe the crime occurred sometime overnight July 1 into July 2, when it would've been more difficult for anyone traveling along Erial Road or Blackwood Clementon Road to spot the thieves, Bottoms said.

Police were notified of the thefts the evening of July 2, and have identified and interviewed a "person of interest" they believe stole air-conditioning fans from the Luther Memorial property after the initial crime.

"A person of interest who was interviewed reported to have taken fans only from this church and the condensers had already been taken," Capt. Anthony Minosse said in an email to Patch on Thursday. "This information is believed to be credible. He will be charged for the theft of the fans."

'This is an issue that cannot be ignored any longer'

The Goddard School on Chews Landing Road, in the township's Laurel Springs section, fell victim to metal scrappers in June. With no air-conditioning, the school was forced to shut down its summer camp for the day as temperatures pushed 100 degrees.

In West Deptford, an HVAC unit was stolen from the top of the Greenfields Veterinary Associates building in June and thieves hit a pair of nearby foreclosed homes in May.

Deptford police reported an incident where thieves ripped out the guts of an HVAC system atop the roof of a strip mall on Clements Bridge Road last weekend.

Halting the proliferation of illegal metal scrapping has become a priority for at least one South Jersey state legislator.

Assemblyman Angel Fuentes (D-5, Camden) announced July 12 he is sponsoring legislation that would strengthen regulations at scrap-metal businesses in an effort to stem the tide of metal theft.

"Our cities, already stretched thin financially due to the country's dire economic circumstances, are often victims to vandals looking for their next dollar. Damage to public infrastructure often cannot be readily or cheaply fixed," Fuentes said in a statement. "Unfortunately, this problem also affects our private residents in both urban and suburban settings, whose property is at risk as well. This is an issue that cannot be ignored any longer."

Under the Fuentes bill, scrap-metal businesses would be required to limit payment for materials received to a non-transferable checks, which would be mailed to the sellers' provided addresses. Also, deliveries of scrap metal would have to be made in motor vehicles, and vehicles' license plates must be included in business' sales records.

Not the first time

The early July air-conditioning thefts were not the first for Luther Memorial, according to Suzanne Bottoms. The church was also victimized in late 2010, she said.

With an expected replacement cost of about $30,000 for the five stolen units—two units were not stolen, she said—she and her husband are concerned the church's insurance provider may increase their premiums, or, worse, drop them altogether.

In the meantime, the small church of about 100 congregants has had to hold services for several weeks in the oppressive heat of one of the hottest summers on record.

"Suck it up is what we're doing," Bottoms said. "We have some ceiling fans and some floor fans, so we're making do."


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