One Alexandria man and three Maryland men face felony theft charges after being apprehended for allegedly stealing approximately $100,000 in copper piping from the Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark construction site, according to a police search warrant affidavit.
Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, a construction supervisor at the site contacted the Alexandria Police Department to report that the lock on a gate leading into the construction site had been cut and that more than $10,000 in tools had been stolen in the early morning hours of April 5. The construction manager later claimed that over $10,000 in tools had been stolen the night before, on April 10.
According to the previously disclosed search warrant affidavit, four defendants wearing face masks, construction jackets, and dark clothing were throwing copper pipe into a U-Haul vehicle when an APD officer arrived on scene.
“All four subjects were detained and arrested,” the APD stated in the search warrant affidavit. “Officers observed four suspects dressed in dark clothing, all wearing reflective vests, throwing materials consistent in appearance with copper piping from an upper floor of the site to the ground.”
The event happened just days before local and regional leaders held a topping-out ceremony for the huge hospital project on April 13.
The suspects, an Alexandria man and three males from Laurel, Columbia, and Suitland, Maryland, were charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell, unauthorized entrance, hiding their identities with masks, and conspiracy to commit grand larceny. They were released under bond. Court records show that their preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 20.
According to APD, the suspect who leased the U-Haul truck admitted to the theft after being read his Miranda rights. He also admitted to stealing from the location the night before, on April 10.
“Four suspects were seen on the second floor of the construction site throwing copper off the second floor towards where the U-Haul was parked,” the search warrant affidavit said. “Clark Construction confirmed that the suspects were attempting to steal approximately $100,000 worth of copper from the site and that they did not have permission to be on the property.”
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