Thieves keep targeting Springfield VA clinic despite security upgrades, police say

Despite security upgrades, police say thieves have repeatedly targeted the site of Springfield's future Veterans Affairs clinic, taking computers with "sensitive information," $20,000 of copper material, dozens of power tools and more.

Records show the site at 1850 W. Republic St. has been burglarized at least six times since construction began in October 2016.

The VA clinic, which is expected to open later this year, will replace an existing clinic in Mount Vernon. There are plans to build a second clinic in Joplin.

A spokeswoman for the VA said security was beefed up following a December 2016 incident, when police say someone broke open a toolbox at the site, took out a metal pry bar and used it to break into a trailer.

According to a police report, three laptops, a stereo, a camera, power tools and other items were taken that night.

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Wanda Shull, spokeswoman for the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, confirmed one laptop was stolen but said no personal information was on the laptop.

Shull said several steps were taken following this incident. Exterior lights were installed, more security checks were added, and indoor lights are now left on throughout the night.

A security firm was also hired, she said.

These changes did not prevent two men from allegedly taking several hundred pounds of copper from the construction site last fall.

According to a probable cause statement filed by police, about $20,000 worth of copper was taken from a trailer after a lock had been cut.

The statement said an employee of CMC Recycling in Springfield contacted police on Oct. 12 about two men who came into the business twice that day with copper tubing.

According to the employee, the two men brought in 199 pounds of copper at 11 a.m. and came back around 1 p.m. with another 193 pounds of copper.

The copper appeared to be stolen, the statement said, and was linked to the VA site after a subcontractor reported the theft to police.

The two men were identified as Nicholas Chambers and Kenneth Minnick, the statement said, and police began looking into other copper sales they might have made.

The statement said Minnick sold 584 pounds of copper to Springfield Iron & Metal on Oct. 5. A car linked to Minnick was also used by a different man to deliver 392 pounds of copper to Springfield Iron & Metal on Sept. 28, the statement said.

Both of these transactions took place at the same time that copper was being stolen from the VA clinic site, according to the statement.

Springfield Iron & Metal apparently did not report the copper sales to police as suspicious.

While hundreds of pounds of copper was stolen from the VA clinic site, a security guard possibly stopped more copper theft after apprehending Minnick on Oct. 27, the statement said.

Police were still in the midst of investigating the copper theft when a security guard spotted a suspicious man inside the VA clinic building just after midnight, according to the statement.

The man — later identified as Minnick — allegedly attempted to flee.

The security guard was able to apprehend Minnick at the edge of the construction site and held him there until police arrived, the statement said.

A pile of copper tubing had been placed along a wood line, the statement said, and Minnick was in possession of a multi-tool and a pair of wire cutters.

Both Minnick and Chambers are facing criminal charges in connection with incidents at the VA clinic construction site last fall.

Police records show there was another string of burglaries in January.

A construction supervisor contacted police on Jan. 10 after several construction trailers and the clinic were broken into, police say.

According to a police report, the suspect — or suspects — left behind a black stocking cap, muddy shoe prints and a few fingerprints.

A day later, on Jan. 11., and again on Jan. 15, construction supervisors told police the construction site had been burglarized, records show.

According to police records, more than two dozen power tools were taken, including numerous electric saws, drills and more.

To buy those same tools new would cost about $16,000, according to online retail sites.

Police say they found some tools and footprints along a path that led through nearby woods and into a neighborhood.

Two neighbors told police that they saw two men with flashlights walking along a trail a few nights earlier. One of the neighbors described a second incident, police say, in which two men were trying to carry a large box through the woods.

The men were struggling to carry the item — which appeared to be a toolbox — and dropped it multiple times, according to the police report.

Shull, the VA spokeswoman, said the clinic in Springfield will begin serving Springfield veterans this year.

"Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks works closely with the contractor to ensure safety and security of the site," Shull said. "We look forward to opening the clinic to see patients later this year."

A VA official said in 2015 that the move from Mount Vernon to Joplin and Springfield will allow the VA to serve an estimated 14,000 veterans in the cities — 9,000 in Springfield and 5,000 in Joplin — who have not been traveling to Mount Vernon.