Copper thieves leave $500k of damage

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Copper thieves who broke into a vacant restaurant building last month left behind an estimated $500,000 worth of damage, the building's owner said Tuesday.

The burglars made off with just $5,000 worth of copper.

"I'd rather leave an envelope full of cash so that they can take it instead of doing this kind of damage," said property manager Norm Ullemeyer of Asset Management Solutions.

The building once housed the China Star Super Buffet on the 4700 block of Montgomery Boulevard NE. The restaurant shut down last September.

The thieves struck sometime around Christmas, Ullemeyer said.

Copper wiring was ripped away from utility boxes, interior walls, the roof and ceiling. Copper pipes were sawed off and hauled away.

Now the 12,000 square foot building is useless with no water or electricity. That's keeping the owners from leasing it out.

"Every bit is a delay and it's costing us roughly $24,000 a month," Ullemeyer said.

The owners have now secured the services of the Armed Response Team, an Albuquerque security company comprised of former police officers, which has developed a secret system designed to stop copper thieves before they cause any damage.

"It's different than a typical alarm system. It's meant to be much more proactive," said ART Business Development Officer David Meurer.

According to ART, copper theft has been on the increase ever since copper prices started to climb over the last year.

"What we're finding is that they're hitting buildings that are both vacant as well as occupied," Meurer said.

According to Ullemeyer, the $500,000 amount is just an estimate. The cost of repairs could be even higher.

"It may be closer to $750,000 worth of damages," Ullemeyer said.

The building owners are currently waiting on insurance funds to cover the cost.