02.09.09 12:07 - Breaking and Entering 2205
Address: 14785 Athens Ave.
Residential
Number Arrested: Report
Statue/Ordinance: Breaking and Entering 2205
Incident Report
MO: By breaking plexi glass in side entrance door to gain entry, cut and remove copper pipe in basement and then leave the area with same without the owners consent.
On this date at 1207hrs I was detailed to 14785 Athens for a Breaking and Entering report. Upon arrival I spoke with COWERIC FRIESS who was checking the vacant property for his wife and sister, VIC/LISA SWARD. FRIESS last checked on the property on 12/04/07, and everything was fine. The property has been vacant for about one year because FRIESS's motherin-law is in a retirement home. FRIESS and SWARD have been taking care of the home and doing some repairs on the inside. FRIESS found the side door glass broken out and someone entered the basement to remove some copper pipe. FRIESS and SWARD stated the house is empty and there would be nothing else of value to be stolen.
In checking the home the entrance door on the West side of the home was entered. The plexi glass window was broken out and someone reached through to unlock the door because the key was left in the dead bolt lock. This door leads to a stairwell that goes up to the kitchen or down to the basement. Suspects went to the basement and removed some copper pipe from the main line coming into the house and a section of copper pipe from the kitchen plumbing. The expansion tank was cut from the hot water tank and found on the floor. All of the cuts made on the left over copper pipe were pinched together by some type of tool. INV. MOHER photographed the point of entry and the basement. INV. MOHER found a phillips head screwdriver with a red handle left in the basement. This screwdriver was left in a crawl space window that leads to the front porch, The suspects were using this screwdriver to remove the supports from the copper pipes that were attached to the walls and crossbeams. INV. MOHER was able to lift some prints off of the expansion tank. INV. MOHER confiscated the screwdriver and the section of plexi glass that was found on the stairwell by the point of entry. The section of plexi glass had shoe prints on it and he determined FRIESS did not make the prints.
I checked with neighbors and learned the following from OIV/JENNIFER QUEEN. QUEEN lives one house East of 14785 Athens. QUEEN fell asleep on her couch last night and between 2300 and 2330hrs. she was awakened by the sound of glass breaking outside. QUEEN did not see or hear anyone outside of her house. There was no glass broken at 14785 Athens. I spoke to DIV/COLLEEN KESSLER who lives across the street from 14785 Athens. KESSLER could only report seeing a white panel van in the driveway in the last two months. KESSLER could not be more exact on any specific date or time she saw the van, KESSLER indicated the van was backed into the drive all the way to the back of the house. The rear doors were open but she did not see anyone.
The following addresses were checked for information. 14776 Athens is across the street and one East did not see anything. 14770 Athens is vacant and also had copper pipe stolen from the house.(See Correspondence). There was no answer at 14773 Athens. 2113 Warren has a view from the back of their house to the point of entry, there was no answer. 2119 and 2121 Warren is a double home, and the back of their home is visible to the point of entry. Neither resident observed anything. 2123 Warren has a view from the rear and North side of their home. There was no answer and it appears someone is living there while work is being completed inside. 2135 and 2137 Warren is a double home. The point of entry is visible from the North side of this double. There was no answer at either address. 2151 Warren is a single home and the point of entry is visible from the North side of this home. Resident did not see anything.
FRIESS and SWARD are in the process of securing the home and were advised until it is completely secured to contact this department if any more copper pipe is missing,