Charlotte Nonprofit Clothed With Care Stops Working After Series of Expensive Copper Thefts

A local charity shut its doors when criminals struck their Clanton Road site four times in a month. The attacks left the building powerless and caused damage worth thousands.

"It's about 420-volt wiring that feeds our building with the power that we need to operate, and they just ripped it apart," said Meredith Loveland, the co-founder and president of Clothed with Care, according to Queen City News.

The first attack came in July's first week. The criminals sliced through security measures and made off with five storage units containing tall copper panels. They twisted the metal fencing to break in.

"Individuals were just taking saws to this large copper, I'm told," Loveland said. From its gifted space, the group had given free clothes to those who needed them most.

These attacks struck at the heart of their mission. "It's also unsettling for people to just feel like they can walk in and take what they want, and not only just take what they want but take from an organization that is trying to support individuals in need, so it's definitely been frustrating," Loveland added.

While seeking another donated location to restart their work, the staff stays hopeful. CMPD continues its search for the thieves, who remain at large.