Thieves Steal Copper Piping, Disrupt Easter Services at Harrisburg Church

Bethel AME Church cancels holiday celebrations after break-in leaves building without heat, air, or water

Apr. 3, 2026 at 1:54pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a damaged copper pipe, its surface heavily textured and distorted, conveying the destruction caused by the theft at Bethel AME Church.The aftermath of a brazen church theft leaves critical infrastructure damaged and holiday celebrations disrupted.Harrisburg Today

Two suspects broke into Bethel AME Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and stole tens of thousands of dollars' worth of copper piping, leaving the church without heat, air conditioning, or running water. The theft was discovered during a choir rehearsal, and the reverend later confronted one of the suspects trying to flee the scene. Police are now searching for a second suspect who escaped.

Why it matters

The theft has forced Bethel AME Church to cancel its upcoming Easter services, disrupting the community's holiday celebrations. Church break-ins and HVAC unit thefts have been an ongoing issue in the Harrisburg area, raising concerns about the security of local places of worship.

The details

According to the reverend, Ouemonde Brangman, the choir members first noticed the lights weren't working during a rehearsal on Wednesday. Upon further inspection, the church found drawers had been opened, items were in disarray, and a hole had been made in the back of the building. Brangman said the thieves stole an extensive amount of copper piping, leaving the church without heat, air conditioning, or running water. During a meeting about the damage on Thursday, Brangman heard noises outside and confronted one of the suspects trying to flee the scene. Security footage showed the suspect was not alone, and police searched for hours with K-9 units and drones for a second suspect who escaped.

  • On Wednesday, the choir members noticed the lights were not working during rehearsal.
  • On Thursday, Brangman confronted one of the suspects during a meeting about the damage.

The players

Bethel AME Church

A church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania that was the target of the theft.

Ouemonde Brangman

The reverend at Bethel AME Church who discovered the theft and confronted one of the suspects.

Elevated Life in Christ Community Church

A nearby church that also had an HVAC unit stolen in October, which Brangman believes may be connected to the Bethel AME Church theft.

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What they’re saying

“We have no idea because they took so many pipes out of everywhere. We don't know where else they've been.”

— Ouemonde Brangman, Reverend

“We can't get the water up and running before next week, so there's no way that we can be able to have our Easter service here.”

— Ouemonde Brangman, Reverend

“We want to get the word out in churches. Enough to me to be paying attention to the air conditioning units and looking out for people that may try to break into their places, especially if they are doing it throughout the day.”

— Ouemonde Brangman, Reverend

What’s next

Police are still searching for the second suspect who escaped the scene, and they believe they know the identity of one of the suspects. The church is working on setting up a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of the stolen items and repairs.

The takeaway

This theft highlights the ongoing issue of church break-ins and HVAC unit thefts in the Harrisburg area, which have disrupted holiday celebrations and raised concerns about the security of local places of worship. The community will be watching to see if the police are able to apprehend the suspects and if the church is able to restore its facilities in time for Easter.