Two more break-ins have been reported at communications towers in Olmsted County, bringing the total to five in the past week, according to the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office.
The two most recent break-ins happened in Haverhill Township, northeast of Rochester. One tower belongs to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the ownership of the other, from which a significant amount of copper was stolen, wasn't immediately available, according to Sgt. Tom Claymon. The copper theft was the first report of items being stolen in the five break-ins, which authorities believe are the work of scrap metal thieves.
Other break-ins have been reported at towers belonging to radio station KROC, TV station KTTC, and the telecommunications company Verizon Wireless.
