Brothers Charged In Church Copper Theft

August 25, 2010

Two Alabama brothers have been charged in connection with the theft of copper from a church near Flomaton.

Charles Brown, 25, and James E. Brown, 27, both of Riverview, Ala., have been charged with criminal mischief, criminal trespassing, theft of property and burglary in connection with the theft at the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church.

Three air conditioning units at Friendship Freewill Baptist Church on Friendship Road were dismantled, with the bandits cleaning out the copper coils. Church members said the theft occurred sometime between 5 p.m. Tuesday, August 10 and 9:45  the following Wednesday morning. Two of the units were used to cool the church’s main sanctuary, while one was used to cool their fellowship hall.

The stolen copper was located at a scrapyard, leading to the arrests.

The Brown brothers are also accused of stealing food from inside the church; authorities said they previously did work at the church and knew the location of a spare key.

Authorities said the brothers have also been implicated in a similar incident in Conecuh County, Ala.

Pictured: An estimated $15,000 in damage was done in a copper theft from the air conditioners at the Friendship Freewill Baptist Church. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “Brothers Charged In Church Copper Theft”

  1. Jim on August 28th, 2010 4:20 pm

    I saw what was left of the one in Conecuh County. Not good it’s a small Church with a very small congergation and it will be hard for them to come up with enough money to replace the equipment.

  2. Horrific on August 27th, 2010 3:53 pm

    Charged with being Morons
    I love that idea
    Thats a great charge and it could cover a lot of problems we
    have in society lately.
    I say we give it a large fine and plenty of years in jail and implement it
    right away.

    lol

  3. echo on August 25th, 2010 4:45 pm

    YOU CAN”T FIX STUPID!!!

    IT AMAZES ME DAILY HOW IDIOTIC CRIMINALS ARE…DID THESE TWO NOT FIGURE OUT THAT WHEN THEY SOLD THE COPPER, THEIR INFORMATION WOULD BE ON FILE!

    THESE TWO SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH BEING MORONS!

  4. horrific on August 25th, 2010 8:58 am

    Ok all you people

    “Opportunity” I Do know how to spell it.

    Sometimes I’m just typing along and thinking only about what I’m saying
    and not how I am spelling things while my mind is elsewhere.

    I’m sure none of you have DONE THAT!
    There’s a capital offense some people like to point out. lol

  5. horrific on August 25th, 2010 8:53 am

    AL
    These types of people are called oportuntists. They may have a very
    good income and not even really need the money. The oportunity
    was just there and they couldn’t leave it alone.

    They new this church and they knew where the spare key was.

    The oportunity was there and they took it.

    I knew a guy one time that took me to his mothers house
    and she looked out the front window of her home and told
    her son that that car out front had been there for 2 days and
    if he didn’t go out and strip it someone else was going to get
    everything. So he walked outside with a tool box…..

    I left and never saw either of them again…..
    I was very young and I am ashamed to say I didn’t call the
    police. :(

  6. Big Al on August 25th, 2010 8:23 am

    Have you ever stripped the coils from a large A C unit? It takes a lot of work. Add to the fact that they were doing it in the dark are in danger of being caught. How much money do you get for the copper? It makes me wonder “Why didn’t they just get a Job?”

  7. horrific on August 25th, 2010 7:37 am

    you can bet this was not their first time and the way the justice system works
    they will be out soon and it won’t be their last.

  8. Mr. Pro. on August 25th, 2010 6:33 am

    It’s so said that people has lost the respect of God’s House.
    Don’t they realize the punishment they will not only recieve from
    Man, but God also? God looks at the Heart of man, we should thank him for not for not looking at the material things that man makes from his Creation.
    May God have Mercy on them.

  9. saudawg on August 25th, 2010 6:16 am

    Why would any scrapyard buy copper coils? Wouldn’t you be suspicious if someone brought in copper coils??

  10. Name (required) on August 25th, 2010 1:26 am

    There have been many Church AC’s hit in Escambia. I wonder if these two might be involved in some of the others>?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News