They Stole The Copper!

This past week I had an opportunity to show a vacant foreclosure property to an investor that purchases fixer uppers for eventual rental purposes. The property is a side by side ranch type duplex. The exterior of the unit is in good condition with the vinyl siding and windows being in very serviceable condition. The unit also has newer roofing.

The living rooms and bedrooms in each unit simply require interior painting and new carpeting in order to make the residence decent, safe, and sanitary. However both kitchens, baths, and utility rooms (where the water heater and furnaces are located) need gutted, an will require all new fixtures and copper plumbing. Thieves have broken into the units and stolen the copper and the air conditioner units. They did extensive damage to the walls as they even broke through the drywall in order to get every last bit of copper they could find.

Kitchen sink has been removed and all copper stripped from underneath.

Copper thieves damaged the bath room fixtures and wall boards

Second bath damaged fixtures and wall by copper thieves

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The other side of the bathroom wall where thieves were stripping copper.

Damage to water heater and wall

Is it any wonder insurance companies will cancel a homeownes insurance on vacant homes? The damage to a property runs in thousands of dollars to the homeowner when thieves strip out the copper.