Thieves get away with $20K worth of copper from brewery

WESTMINSTER, Mass. -- Thieves made off with an estimated $20,000 worth of copper brewhouse components weighing hundreds of pounds from a central Massachusetts brewery, company officials say.

Edward C. LaFortune III, president of Wachusett Brewing Co. in Westminster, said the theft was discovered Wednesday morning, but the equipment could have been stolen up to a week ago because it was housed in an area not often visited by employees.

The copper components were part of a large antique onion-dome style brewhouse made in Germany in 1951.

The thieves stole an exhaust pipe two feet in diameter and 12 feet long that weighs about 400 pounds, as well as thick-walled copper tubing more than 2 inches in diameter, copper doors to the system and 52 empty stainless steel kegs.

All the components stolen probably have a scrap value of about $2,000, but will cost at least $20,000 to replace, he said.

The copper pieces are fairly unusual, because most breweries these days use stainless steel, he said.

The brewery is offering a reward for the return of the equipment, LaFortune said.

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