Would-be burglar discovered frozen to death

Body of would-be metal thief was found in a vacant North Avenue industrial building (Google  maps).

A would-be copper thief was found frozen to death in a vacant Plainfield industrial building I learned Monday evening.

I was told that a male who had apparently fallen from a ladder while trying to strip copper wiring from the vacant Howell Electric Motor building on North Avenue near Johnston Avenue was found dead yesterday, presumably from hypothermia.

This is the building that my PSE&G meter reader told me a few weeks ago he had found open on his rounds and discovered metal thieves at work. He notified the police and I am told arrests were made.

Copper, which has increased in price about 50% over the last year, is fetching around $4.50 per pound, making it quite attractive to both those who are 'professional' metal thieves and others who may engage in such theft casually out of economic circumstances (for a news story on copper theft running today, see here).

There have been reports over the past year or two of such thefts, mostly from vacant and foreclosed homes, scattered around Plainfield, but industrial buildings offer richer pickings.

Will post more about this hapless would-be thief as details emerge.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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