Thieves steal copper from roof, walls of Milton home.

The roof of this Milton home has been stripped bare of its copper.

By Jonathan Copsey; Appen Newspapers

Edwin Terry has lived on Mountain Road in Milton for over 40 years now. He considers it more than just his home; he considers it his neighborhood. He knows his neighbors and looks out for them. And they look after him.

Imagine his dismay, then, when thieves managed to deface and ransack a nearby house, breaking windows, destroying walls and even stealing the roof.

The roof of the home at 2570 Mountain Road was not just any roof. It was copper. The thieves stole the copper plating as well as destroying the foreclosed home in search of more copper - wiring and piping.

"It sure did shine when they put it on there," said Terry, remembering when the home's former owners had first installed the metal roof. "It was the prettiest thing you'd ever seen."

The house must have been a beautiful home at one point. Besides the copper roof, it had a lush garden, quaint front yard, swimming pool and nearly three acres of land. Now the garden is overgrown, trees have collapsed throughout the property - some barely missing the home itself - and leaves and debris litter the property. With no one to care for it since the owners left, it has just been left to rot. So why would anyone miss the copper?

In recent years, copper has increased dramatically in value. In the last year alone, copper has risen from $1.50 per pound. to nearly $3.50 per pound. While no one would get rich from such prices, it's enough to be tempting to criminals. Reports of thieves stealing pipes in the night or even attempting to steal power equipment occur often. It should come as no surprise that an old abandoned home rife with unused metal on display should fall victim to the crime. Perhaps it is more surprising that it has lasted so long without trouble.

Terry has his suspicions about the identity of the thieves, but no proof. And really, does anyone care about an abandoned house?

Terry does. It's his neighbor and neighbors look out for each other.