Metal Thieves Target Local Foreclosed Homes

Homewood and Flossmoor police are investigating incidents in which vacant, often foreclosed, homes are being targeted by metal thieves.

It's unknown whether the numerous recent metal theft cases are related, investigators said.

Foreclosures, a poor economy and soaring metal prices have produced a 'perfect storm' of .

Police said recent metal thefts include the following local incidents:

• In Flossmoor, a vacant property in the 1600 block of Markey Lane was burglarized Sunday, June 19. A neighbor told police they saw two men parking a teal Toyota Camry in the driveway of the home, then walking around the fence carrying a tool, according to the report. The neighbor then saw the men return to the vehicle carrying what appeared to be an air-conditioning unit, police said.
• In a second Flossmoor incident, a real estate agent discovered a vacant, foreclosed home in the 18000 block of Crawford Avenue had been targeted by a metal thief. Copper pipe and a furnace were stolen from the property sometime between June 17 and 28.
• In Homewood last week, a Munster man was checking a foreclosed home in the 17000 block of Rockwell Avenue, when he found it had been stripped of several metal components. Taken from the back of the home was 12 feet of copper pipe, a metal utility tub and the house's water meter, police said. Police believe the theft took place between June 14 and June 24. The loss is estimated at $800.
• In another Homewood case at a foreclosed home in the 2000 block of Spruce Road, someone removed copper from an air-conditioning unit and broke an east-facing kitchen window (damage estimated at $400) to gain entry, police said. Approximately $4,000 in metal was taken from the attic. A suspicious person was spotted June 25 near the building's air-conditioning unit, according to police.

Anyone with information about local metal thefts should call or .