Copper theft costs man his life

Officials said it's not uncommon for thieves to hit closed industrial facilities.
By SARAH WEBER
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- Authorities are trying to identify a man who was electrocuted while stripping copper from a local factory.
The man was found Monday morning by employees at the former Cold Metal Products plant at 45 S. Montgomery Ave.
Police said the man had illegally entered the building sometime over the weekend and damaged several implements while stripping away the copper. The coroner's office verified that the cause of death was electrocution when the man attempted to cut an electrical wire that was carrying 2,400 volts near some scaffolding in the building. He then fell 25 feet to the factory floor.
The man
According to the coroner's report, the man, who was black, was 5 feet 9 inches tall, 156 pounds, with short black hair, black mustache and a pocked face. He was wearing brown dress pants with a black belt, a Buckeye Muffler and Brake Shop T-shirt, white socks and shoes. He had no identification.
Bill Marsteller, owner of the building, said the body was found by a team of employees that was in the plant to clean up. Marsteller said: "He was unauthorized; he was stealing. With all of the buildings around here, you just can't stop them."
Officer Russ Nak of the Campbell police said calls about scrap theft at local companies are not uncommon. "It's not a rarity," Nak said. Similar properties have suffered thefts, he said.
Niles Police Chief Bruce Simeone said he has also had calls about people stealing metal from closed industrial facilities.
"A few years ago we had a similar incident," Simeone said. "We've had instances where people go in and try to strip out the copper wiring and pipes. It's fairly common."
While other metal products are taken from the companies, copper is the most valuable and sought after, Simeone said.