NAUGATUCK, Conn. Police say they caught a man behind a borough building early Thursday as he allegedly stripped copper piping from air conditioning equipment owned by the town. Officers reported the call at 6 Rubber Avenue around 12:30 a.m. The property belongs to the Borough of Naugatuck.
Police say the cooling units sit behind the building and that some piping had already been removed when they arrived. They allege the man was still trying to take more. Jeremiah Torres, 20, was arrested at the scene. Police charged him with sixth degree larceny, third degree criminal mischief, possession of burglar tools, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and improper use of a registration.
Those counts are accusations only. Torres has not been convicted and is presumed innocent. He was released on a $10,000 non surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court on September 9. Police have not said how they first found him, whether a passerby called, or how much the piping and any damage are worth.
They also have not listed a hometown for Torres in the public summary. The address is a large borough owned building with an industrial past, often called the Naugatuck Event Center. It is not police headquarters. Headquarters is on Spring Street.
Officers still responded to Rubber Avenue and say the alleged theft was happening in the open behind a municipal building. Copper from outdoor cooling systems is a common scrap target. What stands out here, police say, is the owner of the metal. The department claims the piping belonged to the borough and that officers stopped the work before it was finished.
Borough officials have not issued a separate statement on repairs. No other suspects were named. The case now goes to court.
