A man who stole copper from Reese's Heating and Air in Warner Robins brought it all back this week after owner Slate Simons posted about the theft on Facebook and the Middle Georgia community rallied behind him. The copper, which Simons sells as scrap to help fund his employees' Christmas bonuses, had been reported almost entirely missing by two men at the business before the public appeal turned things around.
Simons estimated the missing copper was worth between $3,000 and $4,000, and he pegged the value of the stolen No. 2 copper at roughly $5.17 per pound, according to 13WMAZ. Neighboring businesses shared surveillance video to help piece together what happened, and police used Flock license-plate cameras to help identify a suspect. Simons's Facebook post about the theft drew more than 100,000 views as word spread across the region.
A Deadline, Then a Return With Minutes to Spare
Simons set a 5 p.m. Thursday deadline for the man to return the copper. The man told Simons he had stolen all of it, and he showed up at 4:57 p.m. Thursday — just three minutes before the cutoff — to hand it back. Simons then introduced the man to the company's employees and told him directly that the copper was part of their Christmas bonus, the station's report notes.
The man apologized to Simons, according to Simons's own account. Simons ultimately decided not to pursue charges against him, choosing instead to accept the return and move forward. “I needed help,” Simons said, expressing gratitude toward Middle Georgia for the support that brought the copper back.
Copper Theft Is a Growing Problem Nationwide
The Warner Robins case fits into a much larger pattern. Per the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a CargoNet trend analysis found that almost seven in 10 metal thefts nationwide now target copper, and the bureau noted that copper demand and prices climbed steadily through 2025, inspiring thieves to take action. Cargo theft losses overall rose 27 percent in 2024, with another 22-percent increase predicted for 2025.
Copper remained the most frequently targeted metal in CargoNet's second-quarter 2026 data, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. CargoNet logged 677 cargo theft incidents across the United States and Canada that quarter — down 26 percent from a year earlier — yet estimated losses still climbed to $304.6 million, more than double the $135.7 million reported in the same quarter of 2025. Metal thefts specifically rose to 80 incidents in the quarter, up from 54 a year prior.
Georgia Utilities Are Also Feeling the Squeeze
Simons said rising copper prices are making thefts like his more common, and recent cases elsewhere in Georgia back that up. AT&T reported 444 stolen-copper-wire thefts across Georgia in 2026, placing the state among the telecom giant's top five for such crimes, with thefts averaging about two per day, as reported by WSB-TV. The company is now offering rewards of up to $10,000 for information leading to the capture and conviction of copper thieves.
Other Georgia cases show the toll on utility infrastructure. In Hall County, deputies accused 39-year-old James Allen Ray of Hoschton of stealing hundreds of pounds of copper wire from a Georgia Power substation, allegedly taking 300 pounds between Aug. 22 and Aug. 24 and another 400 pounds on Aug. 27, with the total estimated at $3,800, per WSB-TV. And in Bibb County, deputies responding to a 2:02 a.m. call on Aug. 26, 2026, at Walker Road and Rice Mill Road found men allegedly cutting copper from utility poles, resulting in four men being arrested or hospitalized after fleeing, according to WGXA.
Simons Looks to Prevent a Repeat
Back in Warner Robins, Simons said he plans to add security cameras around the building to help prevent another theft. With the copper now back in hand and no charges pending against the man who took it, Simons is focused on making sure his employees' Christmas bonuses are secure heading into the holiday season.
