The seemingly endless string of copper thefts in the Magnolia and southern Montgomery County area are continuing and the latest victim is one that has a comparatively larger impact on the community.

The Tomball/Magnolia YMCA building, located at WHERE, was the victim of copier thieves early on July 16.

According to Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Dan Norris, the staff at YMCA discovered damage to the building when they arrived at about 9 a.m. Norris said the facility’s air conditioning unit and telephone wires had been cut. Damage had also been inflicted on the facilities power lines.

According to Tomball/Magnolia YMCA Director Kira Sears, the damage to the power lines caused the center’s watering system to malfunction and when the staff arrived on the site, “the entire parking lot was flooded,” as well as large portions of the competition fields.

“This is pretty disappointing,” Sears said.

She added that the amount of copper wiring the suspects could have taken was likely far less than the actual damages they inflicted.

“I don’t know how much copper wire they got, but they did about $10,000 worth of damage,” Sears added.

The YMCA was preparing to start its summer baseball, T-ball and soccer leagues on the following Saturday. Sears said workers were able to drain and repair the fields in time for leagues to start a few days later, but as of press time last week, the facility still did not have phone service.

“It (the theft) hasn’t really disrupted our normal everyday activity,” she said. “It effects our communication. So we’re disrupted in that sense.”

The YMCA’s popular Day Camp program is held at Unity Park in Magnolia.

Sears said that the building is self-insured under Greater Houston YMCA umbrella, but that it was unfortunate that the organization would have to spend $10,000 to make repairs due to a theft than to use it towards programs.

Norris said there are no suspects and the case is currently under investigation.

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