Copper thieves may be to blame for a flooding issue at a downtown Dayton building this morning.
Fire crews in Dayton responded to a report of a flooding structure downtown.This happened just after 4:30 a.m. at 1 S. Main St., the Fifth Third Center downtown.
When crews arrived on scene, they figured out that it was a water main problem in the neighboring historic Dayton Aracade.Water was gushing into the Fifth Third Center from the Dayton Aracde, before water was finally shut off. No occupied offices have been affected.
Undercover detectives have been patrolling the area the past several weeks, looking for people attempting to steal copper and other property from old, vacant buildings.
This morning, three men were arrested on felony charges of breaking and entering: Kevin Conn, 41, Christopher Hagerty, 29, and Harold Hagerty, 49.
Those same detectives allegedly spotted the men early this morning going inside the Dayton Arcade on West Fourth Street. They also found evidence of "scrapping" in their vehicle, police said. According to online Montgomery County Jail records, all three have court dates on Monday morning.