Two arrested, charged with stealing copper

Staff report

youngstown

Police arrested two men they say were stealing the water pipes from a South Side rental property Thursday morning while someone was living there.

Officers were flagged down by a worker who was at the home for the owner of the property at 240 E. Avondale Ave. and were told someone was stealing copper, reports said.

Officers went to the home and found a car in a nearby drive, and inside the car was Edwyn Lacey, 26, of South Schneley Avenue. Lacey was smoking marijuana and told police he was trying to calm himself down because he was thinking of his brother who had been shot a year ago.

Officers could hear banging noises coming from inside the rental property and shouted for whoever was inside to come out. Henry Garner, 50, of Hillman Avenue came out from the basement. Neighbors told police they saw Lacey pull into a drive and Garner got out of his car and walked to the rental property.

A woman in the rental property called her landlord because her water suddenly stopped working and she could see her pipes moving, reports said. Police found a pipe in the basement cut in two.

Lacey and Garner both were charged with unauthorized removal and breaking and entering and taken to the Mahoning County jail. Garner has initial charges of theft, driving under suspension and a parole violation.