Copper Thieves Strike on Parkville Station, Jessup

Scrap thieves broke into two homes and a business over the course of two days last week, looting copper piping in both incidents, said Thursday.

Pipes on a fuel oil tank at Automatic Plating on Jessup Road were stolen on May 21, when thieves went in an unlocked door to a boiler room in search of copper, police said.

A day later, two foreclosed homes on Parkville Station Road were hit. Police said thieves broke into both homes’ basements and stripped out the copper piping.

Copper thefts have been on the rise nationwide, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which reported an 81-percent jump in insurance claims related to copper thefts between 2008 and 2011.