Metals are golden opportunity for thieves

A crime prominent in the area a year ago may be making a comeback. Thieves are once again on the hunt for copper piping and platinum since they can sell them for profit. Usually the thefts involve cutting catalytic converters from vehicles or stealing copper from construction sites or underneath homes.

Recent cases include three catalytic-converter thefts from 1990s models of Toyota 4Runners. All of these cases occurred in the parking lot of the Johnston-Willis campus of CJW Medical Center in the 14000 block of Midlothian Turnpike during daytime hours between June 27 and July 2.

In a fourth recent incident, someone stole coils of copper wire from inside a gated parking lot just east of the hospital in the 14500 block of Midlothian Turnpike between 3:30 p.m. on June 26 and noon on June 27.

Anyone with information about these crimes should call police at 748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 748-0660, or text the code tip699 with the tip and send to 274637 (CRIMES). Tipsters may also visit www.crimesolvers.net to report information anonymously online.

In other crimes:

Centralia Road. Between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on July 8, someone smashed the front window of Spencer's store in the 5100 block using a rock and took beer from the cooler.

East Hundred Road. Between noon on July 2 and 1 p.m. on July 3, someone broke into Rivermont Presbyterian Church in the 2000 block and stole consumable goods.

Gala Court. Between noon on May 17 and noon on July 6, someone broke into a home in the 14200 block and stole guns, money and jewelry.

Holyoake Drive. Between 12:30 p.m. and 2:05 p.m. on July 2, several suspects assaulted a man as he got out of his vehicle in the 6000 block at the Newberry Townhouse Apartments and stole his cash.

Hull Street Road. Just after 4 p.m. on July 7, someone stole a dump truck containing firearms and other property from a parking lot in the 8100 block.

Jefferson Davis Highway. Between 1:30 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. on July 6, someone broke into Napoli Italian Restaurant in the 15800 block and stole money.

Manning Road. Between 6:30 p.m. on July 3 and 12:30 p.m. on July 7, someone broke into a home in the 6900 block while the residents were out of town and stole electronics and other property.

Pointer Terrace. Between 9 p.m. on June 29 and 6 a.m. on June 30, someone stole Freon from an air conditioner line at a home in the 6200 block.

Statute Street. At about 2:40 a.m. on July 1, a car alarm sounded in the 6200 block, awakening the vehicle's owner. He turned off the alarm and went back to sleep. The following morning he discovered that someone had broken off half of the driver's-side door handle.

Welch Drive. Between 2:30 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. on July 6, someone broke into a home in the 6800 block and stole jewelry and electronics.

Wentworth Street. Between 9 p.m. on July 3 and 4:30 pm. on July 4, someone stole a push lawnmower from a trailer that was in the front yard of a home in the 6600 block.

Woods Edge Road. At about 12:30 a.m. on June 30, the occupants of a vehicle were traveling through the 13800 block when they heard a loud pop and saw a flash of light as another car passed them. The victims later found a bullet hole in the driver's door of their vehicle.