Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Henderson copper thieves just miss deadly ammonia gas lines, police say

Americold storage

Thieves who stole hundreds of feet of copper from a cold-storage warehouse in Henderson narrowly avoided cutting pipes funneling deadly ammonia gases, Henderson Police said.

Workers at Americold storage, 830 E. Horizon Drive, near Boulder Highway, on Tuesday discovered 500 to 700 feet of copper pipe had been stolen from the roof of the business, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the city of Henderson.

“The thieves were very lucky they didn’t cut the wrong pipe or they likely would have died from the ammonia gas,” Henderson Police Capt. Dane Mattoon said. “Copper theft remains an issue not only in our community but throughout the entire country.”

Ammonia gas is used for refrigeration at the temperature-controlled warehouse.

The theft occurred Monday night or early Tuesday morning, police said, adding the culprits likely climbed onto the roof to get into the property. Police said they don’t know if the thieves specifically avoided the pipes with the dangerous gas.

Anyone with information about the crime is urged to call Henderson Police at (702) 267-4750 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers, (702) 385-5555.

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