Someone broke into Long Cane Middle School and Long Cane Elementary School overnight, making off with tools and copper wire while both campuses sat in the middle of active renovation work. The Troup County Sheriff's Office says the burglary happened while students and staff were away from the buildings, though security systems on site remained active and caught images of the intruders moving through the schools.
According to WSB-TV, the break-in took place overnight in early June 2026 at the two adjacent campuses. Investigators believe as many as three suspects were involved, and surveillance footage captured people inside the buildings during the theft. The sheriff's office is asking anyone who recognizes the individuals on camera, or who has any information about the incident, to come forward.
Long Cane Middle and Long Cane Elementary sit along Long Cane Road in LaGrange, roughly a mile apart within the Troup County School System, according to Homes.com. That proximity would have made it easy for the same group to move between both properties in a single overnight run. The school system had issued procurement bids for a $5 million renovation and modification project at Long Cane Middle School along with structural additions at Long Cane Elementary, per HigherGov — the kind of active construction site that tends to leave high-value building materials and contractor equipment sitting out overnight.
A Regulatory Maze Awaits Anyone Trying to Cash In
Even if the stolen copper makes it off campus, Georgia law creates real obstacles for anyone trying to sell it. Under Georgia Code § 10-1-355, secondary metals recyclers are barred from paying cash for copper or utility wire — payments have to go out as a check, an electronic transfer, or a voucher, leaving a paper trail behind any sale.
The state also requires recyclers to log seller identification and upload transaction details within 48 hours to a database monitored by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation through LeadsOnline, according to the Gordon County Sheriff's Office. Wire that's been burned or charred to strip its insulation — a common tactic for disguising stolen copper — can't legally be purchased at all unless a licensed contractor sells it with verifiable paperwork, per Georgia Code § 10-1-351(b).
Felony Exposure Runs High for Whoever Is Caught
The stakes for whoever pulled off the burglary are steep. Georgia sets the felony threshold for scrap or regulated metal theft at just $500, far below the standard $1,500 threshold for ordinary theft, with prison terms that can run up to 10 or 20 years depending on the value involved. Second-degree burglary — entering an unoccupied building without authority to commit a theft — is a separate felony carrying a sentence of one to five years for a first offense.
The Troup County Sheriff's Office normally works alongside the Troup County Board of Education to provide school resource officers and law enforcement coverage across county campuses, including Long Cane Middle. This kind of theft fits a pattern seen elsewhere in Georgia; Hoodline previously reported on a Cherokee County copper bust in which three adults were arrested for stealing utility cable from a public park, part of a broader wave of copper thefts targeting public infrastructure as scrap prices stay high.
Investigation Continues, Tip Lines Open
The investigation remains ongoing, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Anyone with information can call the Troup County Sheriff's Office at 706-883-1616 or reach Troup County Crime Stoppers at 706-812-1000. It's not yet known how much the stolen tools and copper wire are worth, whether the loss is covered by contractors' insurance, or whether the theft will delay the ongoing construction schedules at either campus.
