Police Log: More Copper Thefts

Thursday, Sept. 27

4:33 p.m. – Police were called to a house on Division Street on a report of a possible breaking and entering in progress after a real estate agent entered the vacant house and found a large pile of cut copper piping on the kitchen floor. She smelled cigarette smoke. Police found a basement door that had been forced open. They searched the house finding no one, but noticed a large filing cabinet had been placed against the inside of the basement door. Police noticed the copper in the kitchen was still wet. The basement floor was also wet and police could see where the pipes had been crudely cut. Outside, police found drag marks in the grass leading from the house to Division Road. Later, they found a black gym bag filled with approximately 100 pounds of copper, and next to that a pair of bolt cutters. The owners of the house, which is for sale, said they were last at the house at noon and the house seemed secure. 

Friday, Sept. 28

3:11 a.m. – A resident of Middle Road told police $600 in cash went missing from her safe sometime between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. and she accused her father of taking it while she was out, saying he often took money from her. When police talked to her father, who also lives at the house, he said he'd been asleep since midnight and did not have access to his daughter's safe. He said she often accused him of taking her money. The woman refused to press charges and neither of the parties would fill out witness statements. Because of the altercation, the woman left the house to stay with a friend overnight.

9:39 a.m. – While checking a vacant property on Crompton Road, police noticed a rear sliding glass door had been forced open. Upon entering the house, police noticed all the copper pipe was missing. The house is owned by a mortgage company, which had last checked on it in March. A neighbor told police he had checked it two weeks before and the rear slider was secure.

11: 44 a.m. – A Marlborough Street resident told police her apartment had been broken into while she was away Sept. 8-27. She returned home Sept. 27 to her front door having been pried open and damaged. Nothing inside was out of place or missing, she said. 

10:30 p.m. – A Peirce Street resident complained to police about loud music, saying he thought it might be coming from one of the restaurants on Main Street. Police checked out the restaurant/bar and the noise was so minimal no decibel reading to could taken. 

Saturday, Sept. 29

8:31 a.m. – A Pequot Trail resident told police her son's skateboarding rail went missing sometime overnight. It was last seen at 8 p.m. Friday. Police checked the area nearby but did not find the rail.

2:20 p.m. – An Exchange Street man told police he was concerned about a Duke Street resident's pit bull. The man said the dog "terrorizes" people walking by. Police stopped by at 4:45 p.m. and the dog was not outside.

3:38 p.m. – Police arrested a West Warwick man, 23, for driving with an expired license after he was stopped on Main and Dedford streets. Routine checks turned up the license violation. He was issued a court summons and released at the scene. The car was driven away by a friend.

5:26 p.m. – Police arrested an East Greenwich man, 42, for driving with a suspended license after he was seen driving on Main Street. Police knew the man's license was suspended so he was pulled over and issued a court summons.