Two Elmira man were arrested on Thursday after they were caught allegedly cutting copper pipes from a building in the Town of Chemung.
According to police 30-year-old Alexander J. Root and 26-year-old Austin M Smith-Halpin have been charged with felony burglary in the third degree.
Troopers spotted a pickup truck parked on a property on County Route 60 in Chemung at around 12:15 am on Thursday. They contacted the owner of the property who told police no people or vehicles were authorized to be on the property at that time.
The troopers and members of the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office checked the building and allegedly found the suspects actively cutting copper piping from the ceiling.
Root and Smith-Halpin were arraigned and released to appear at a later date.
