In the past few months, the Bristol Police have been battling a dangerous trend.
Police say that crooks have been breaking into empty homes to steal copper piping. The thefts are leaving an environmental mess behind and the clean-up hasn’t been an easy one.
“It's a little bit frightening for us,” said neighbor Julie Walden. “You worry there’s going to be a fire or some type of explosion.”
Most of the copper pipes that are being stolen connect the furnace to the fuel tank. After they are removed, heating oil spills out and potentially leaks into the ground and contaminates water supplies.
The State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been called in multiple times for clean-ups to make sure neighborhoods aren’t in danger.
“Definitely oil getting out causes environmental risks and possible contamination,” said Dennis Schain with the Department of Environmental Protection.
The cost of these thefts is has been adding up.
It cost the D.E.E.P thousands of dollars to clean up the mess every time and although the property owners are billed, they don’t always pay up.
“It doesn't happen every time but our goal is to make sure state expense is covered,” Schain explained.
Police believe these criminals are out looking for a quick way to make some cash.
“It's very concerning. Someones got to put a stop to it,” Larry Booska added.
Police say that no arrests had been made.
