Copper Thieves Hit Detroit Church, Leave Water Gushing, Destroy Interior [VIDEO]
DETROIT (WWJ) - Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan told Lansing lawmakers that the city is being torn apart by illegal scrappers, urging them to pass legislation that would crack down on those who steal and sell scrap metal.
Meanwhile, one Detroit church is looking at paying thousands of dollars after they were hit by copper thieves.
The copper was ripped out of Conant Gardens Church of Christ on Conant, near Dequindre.
"Well, in the process of removing the piping they caused a flood, which the city could not shutoff for almost five days," says Christopher Mayberry, financial secretary at the church.
He says the building, on the city's east side, had extensive water damage throughout, even coming through the brick walls.
"Extensive damage here in the classrooms, the offices, the kitchen, the bathrooms, the closets. This whole section of the building had at least four, five inches of water standing, running through the doors, running out the brick wall, wherever it could find its way," says Mayberry, who adds, "All the electrical equipment, all the computer equipment, the copy equipment, everything had water just pouring on it."
Mayberry says something needs to be done to stop copper theft.
"There has to be some type of background check, otherwise, this type of incident will continue to happen," he says.
Mayberry estimates the damage at his church at around $80,000. Thieves hit two other buildings on the same night, on the same block.
