A Gainesville man and a juvenile have been arrested in the theft of copper tubing from Sugar Hill Elementary school.
Hall County investigators charged James Blake Wingo, 21, of Gainesville, and the unidentified juvenile with felony theft by taking, criminal damage and possession of tools of a crime.
Investigators said the theft occurred overnight Monday and was discovered Tuesday morning. Eleven commercial air-conditioning units on the roof of the Athens Highway school were damaged and the copper removed. Total damage was estimated at $75,000 to $100,000.
After checking local scrap metal recyclers, investigators say they determined who disposed of the stolen metal, leading them to a residence in the 2700 block of Dorsey Peek Road. Investigators say they also found other items taken from the school and tools used in the theft.
The school district had offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
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