Crooks That Stripped Warren Home's Plumbing Likely Had Lock Box - Fox 2 News Headlines

Jason and Elizabeth Clausen just learned the copper pipping, every bit of plumbing they had running throughout their Warren home is gone.

The brazen thieves didn't bust through a window or a wall. They were nice enough to use a key.

"It feels violating, and I thought it was dramatic when people would say that. I feel completely violated," said Elizabeth Clausen.

The Clausens had already moved to Saint Clair Shores. They didn't discover what happened until a real estate agent who was showing their Roan Street house on Saturday noticed the lock box was missing.

Police told them it appears someone who likely looked at the house watched the agent put in the code for the lock box and then came back for the key and a house full of copper.

"My husband had a base guitar that was right there. They wanted copper," Elizabeth Clausen said.

It's clear they knew what they were doing, concealing the job by breaking off ceiling tiles to block the windows.

"It was probably a team of people that came in here and probably exerted a lot of talent in how fast they were able to plan and execute (the) thievery," said Jason Clausen.

Pinpointing who is responsible is proving difficult for police.  We're told there are no fingerprints and the Clausens have had 27 showings over the last month.

"Unfortunately, our agent used a very easy code. It was not the address, but it was the four corners, so it would be very easy to go over someone's shoulder and see it," Elizabeth Clausen told FOX 2's Taryn Asher.

They're not alone. Police told them their house was the third one in the neighborhood that has been targeted by these burglars. It's especially upsetting for the Clausens because unlike so many people that are walking away from their homes, they are trying to do the right thing and maintain the property so they can sell it.

The thieves may have cashed in on a few hundreds bucks, but it could cost the Clausens thousands to replace the copper piping.

"Hopefully insurance will cover it, and if they don't, what can we do? You can't sell a home that doesn't have plumbing," said Elizabeth Clausen.

Sadly, the Clausens told us they did get an offer on the house the day before all the copper was stolen. They fear now the sale won't happen.