Thieves grabbed more than $6,000 worth of copper wire supplies and other construction-related items last week from businesses and construction sites in the Cocalico area, police report.

The J.J Stoner Mechanical Inc. firm, 2355 N. Reading Road, Denver, reported the biggest loss. On March 18, thieves forcibly entered a fenced-in area of the business and stole copper wire welding leads valued at $3,600, East Cocalico Township police said.

A work trailer parked at South Muddy Creek Road and Lesher Road in East Cocalico Township was broken into between Thursday and Monday, police said.

The thieves fled with copper wire, a generator, and a concrete saw having a total value of $2,355. The Everhart & Hoover firm from Hustontown, Fulton County, owned the trailer.

Sometime last weekend, thieves swiped 250 feet of copper wire from a house being built in the 200 block of Royal Horse Way, Denver, which is near Route 897 in East Cocalico Township.

The wire, which was valued at $120, belonged to Lanco Mechanicals, 225 Yummerdall Road, Lititz.

West Hempfield Township police received word Monday morning that a welding machine valued at more than $8,000 had been stolen from a construction site at Route 30 and Prospect Raod.

The blue welder was on its own trailer and was the pull-along type. It belonged to the J.D. Eckman Inc. firm of Atglen.

Lancaster state police are investigating two recent burglaries at southern Lancaster County locations.

Sometime between March 17 and Monday, thieves broke into a Drumore Township home in the 1100 block of Silver Spring Road and took four rifles, a 20-gauge shotgun and two gun cases, Trooper Andrew Manning said.

Frank Handel, 47, and Jim Tollinger, 56, of Holtwood, were the victims. The theft loss was about $6,100, and the suspects did about $500 damage by smashing a window and cutting window screens, police said.

The Classic Lancaster Cabinetry firm of Lancaster had cabinetry stolen from a location in the 100 block of Lancaster Pike (Route 272) in Providence Township between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m Tuesday, state police said.

Ephrata state police are investigating the Monday night theft of a $20,000 vehicle from Martin's Tire and Alignment, 119 Water St., Churchtown.

Thieves entered the Caernarvon Township business through an unlocked door and grabbed the keys to a 2005 pewter-colored GMC 2500 truck that had an extended cab, Trooper Jeff Menet reported.

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