A suspect has been arrested after thieves stole more than $100,000 worth of copper piping from Bethel AME Church in Harrisburg, according to police. Nathan Johnson, 48, faces numerous charges.
A suspect has been arrested after thieves stole more than $100,000 worth of copper piping from Bethel AME Church in Harrisburg , according to police. Nathan Johnson , 48, faces numerous charges.Video above: See the damage that was done to the church.
The burglary happened on April 1 and left the church, on North Fifth Street in Midtown, without heat, air conditioning or water. The Rev. Ouemonde Brangman told WGAL that the damage was discovered after choir rehearsal, when members noticed the lights were not working. Church leaders later found drawers opened, items in disarray, a man-made hole in the back of the building and a suitcase left behind. The affidavit of probable cause listed the following damage, thefts and evidence:A large amount of copper piping was missing from the basement.Both outside air conditioning systems had been cut out and removed.Microwaves from the basement were missing.The church’s water pump had been removed.A door on the southwest side of the church was found unlocked.Inside the vestibule, muddy shoe prints were visible.A cart containing cut pieces of copper and a hand saw was found.The cart was located at the top of the stairs leading to the basement, where the pipes had been cut.A large amount of dirt and mud was found throughout the area.Face-to-face with suspectWhen church members met the next day to discuss the damage, Brangman said he heard noises outside and came face-to-face with a suspect crawling out of a hole in the building with a red bag and knapsack. He immediately called 911. Officials said security camera footage showed the suspect was not alone. Police searched the area for hours with K9 units and drones. 'We went to go investigate. I had a suspicion it was ... where the air conditioners were. Took a look out there and I caught the guy coming out,” said Brangman. “He was crawling out of an area, a hole in the wall that looked like they had already made up for entrance. He came out with a red bag and knapsack. And I didn't want to try to detain him in case that he might have had a gun or something. So, I called 911 right away. And so, we find out it was not just him, but there were others that were in there.” Investigators find suitcasePolice canvassed the neighborhood for cameras. 'At 1720 N 5th St I was given access to ring cameras at the front and the rear of the home. The cameras showed that the male with the red suitcase ran to the rear of 1720 N 5th St and stashed his red suitcase behind the home. This male then continued to flee northbound. After seeing this I went to the rear of this house and located the suspects red suitcase,' an officer wrote in the affidavit.The officer reported finding pipe cutting tools and various metals inside the suitcase.The next day, the suspect came back, looking for the suitcase, according to investigators. The Ring camera was rolling.'In this video from 04/03/26 the defendant can be seen looking for the red suitcase and shows a lot more of his face to the ring camera. It also became clear that the suspect had a square shaped tattoo on his right hand between his wrist and his knuckles,' the affidavit states. Suspect identifiedInvestigators said they showed the surveillance video to scrap yard employees and people at several homeless encampments before one person identified the suspect as 'Nate.' Police then linked that name to Nathan S. Johnson through a database and a photo match. At Tent City on South 9th Street, a case manager confirmed Johnson lived there and said she was confident he was the man seen in the video, according to investigators. Johnson was not at his tent when police checked.Police track down JohnsonPolice said they found a record of Johnson selling scrap metal at a Harrisburg recycling facility on April 3. They asked staff to flag his name and call if he returned. On Thursday, April 9, employees reported Johnson was back on the property in a white sedan. Police responded, detained him, and brought him to the station for an interview. 'During this interview I asked Nathan S Johnson to remove a glove covering his right hand. On Nathan S Johnson's right hand was the same tattoo the man in the ring video footage had. Nathan S Johnson eventually admitted to forcibly entering the basement of the church by way of removing a large board of wood covering a window. Nathan S Johnson admitted that he would use suitcases to move the stolen copper in and out of the church because it would fit perfectly through the window to the basement. Nathan S Johnson was unable to provide enough information to identify the other suspect involved,' the affidavit states. Johnson is charged with:BurglaryInstitutional vandalismCriminal mischief Theft by unlawful takingIn-person services canceledBrangman said the theft forced the church to cancel Easter services because the building did not have water service restored in time.
Dauphin County Easter Services Canceled Harrisburg K9 Units Midtown Harrisburg Nathan Johnson North Fifth Street Burglary Charges Choir Rehearsal Church Burglary Church Damage Copper Piping Theft Criminal Mischief Drones Institutional Vandalism No Air Conditioning No Heat No Water Pastor Ouemonde Brangman Police Investigation Security Camera Footage Stolen Copper Suspect Arrested Theft By Unlawful Taking Church Man-Made Hole Building Suspect Brangman Damage Copper Face-To-Face Water Pastor Harrisburg Church Police April Arrest Nathan Johnson
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