TICKFAW — The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office has arrested five people in at least three separate copper theft cases since the start of the month, and deputies are asking for the public's help in finding a sixth suspect. 

The first case involved three stolen air conditioning units, including one taken from a church on Highway 1065. Neighbors around the church shared tips and home surveillance footage, leading deputies to two suspects caught right across the street with one of the stolen units still on site.

Robert Myrick, 47, and Jeremy Thompson, 46, were each booked on one count of burglary of a religious building, theft and simple criminal damage to property.

Robert Magee, 45, was booked on one count each of simple criminal damage to property and theft. At the time of that arrest, Magee was already in the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on a separate copper theft case from earlier this month. Since then, he has been booked in a third copper theft case from the last week of June.

In a separate case, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office received a call from a local scrap yard about a man and woman attempting to sell a large amount of suspected stolen copper. Detectives working several ongoing copper theft investigations tracked down the vehicle and found the materials piled in the back of a pickup truck.

Chrystal Watson, 37, of Roseland, was arrested on an outstanding felony theft failure to appear charge. Adam Warren, 39, also of Roseland, was booked on a theft warrant out of Mississippi.

Detectives believe the recovered property is connected to multiple thefts in Tangipahoa Parish and in Mississippi.

Another copper theft investigation is still open and detectives are asking for the public's help. The theft was caught on camera on June 28 and involves an A/C condenser stolen from an 82-year-old man's shop on Crapanzano Road in Hammond, costing him $20,000 to replace.

Sheriff Gerald Sticker is asking anyone with information about the suspect to contact the TPSO Criminal Investigations Division at 985-902-2088. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa at 1-800-554-5245.