‘I don’t know how to say this politely, it’s messed up’: General contractor pleads for help from Richmond police among site thefts
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Even with surveillance cameras and people on-site, it’s not stopping thieves from hitting construction sites.
“Sympathy is one thing, action’s another," said Savoy Properties general contractor Bill Pangburn. "And we need some action. We need some assistance.”
Pangburn, fed up with these thieves, is asking for more help from police.
The construction site of a duplex on the 1900 block of Boston Avenue has been hit multiple times by people stealing materials from the site. One of Pangburn's workers even caught this happening on video in broad daylight on May 1 -- security cameras caught the other instances.
“We have photographs of the guy stealing coming out the front porch," he said.
This photo is from March 29 when windows and customs doors were stolen. There are two security cameras currently on site -- one in the front and one in the back.
Security footage captured a man on the construction site. (Courtesy of Bill Pangburn)
But even with evidence, Pangburn told 8News the Richmond Police Department (RPD) hasn't made an arrest, and that they probably aren’t going to.
“I said, ‘So, what are we gonna do?,'" he said recapping the conversation he had with an officer after filing a report. "He said, ‘Nothing. He’ll be out in the streets the next day. Did he threaten you bodily?’ ‘No.’ ‘Did he cause bodily harm or shoot at you or anything?’ ‘No.’ ‘There’s nothing I can do.’”
Pangburn’s licensed to work in seven surrounding counties, but said he doesn't have to deal with this in those other counties.
“Never. Only the City of Richmond," he said.
He blames a lack of resources.
“Police -- I sympathize with them," he said. "I wish I could just get some assistance to make this stop.”
RPD told 8News they’re looking for the suspects.
"Detectives and precinct patrol officers are attempting to locate the suspect," said an RPD spokesperson. "Should efforts to locate the suspect not succeed, First Precinct may release the suspect photo to social media -- asking for the public’s assistance to ascertain his whereabouts."
But Pangburn said in his 23 years working in the city, an arrest for any of the reports he's filed have never happened.
“You know, a home provides a heck of an income for a lot of people," he said. "You keep stealing from me; you put a dent in that whole thing. The whole process [is] a mess.”
Pangburn said he doesn’t even necessarily need police to monitor the area seven days a week. He said he's most concerned about Friday night to early Monday morning.
