Downspouts gone!

We received an email alert from our Fredericksburg properties on Valentine's Day morning that copper downspouts had been 'removed' from the rear yard of both the Mary Washington House and the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop over the preceding weekend. Finally had a chance to go up to Fredericksburg yesterday and see the damage. Someone apparently 'popped' the straps with a screwdriver or something similar and yanked the pipes away. Fortunately no additional damage other than the need to replace two at Mary Washington and two at Hugh Mercer. This photo shows the back of Hugh Mercer with the pipes gone. We advised them to use painted galvanized instead of copper when replacing the pipes. Since water should not stand in downspouts, longevity should not be as much of a concern. Better to have cheaper version in place than a more expensive one that is attractive to thieves!