The theft of gutters from South Bohemian monuments causes hundreds of thousands in damage

České Budějovice - Thieves of copper gutters from South Bohemian monuments cause hundreds of thousands of damage each year. Part of the damage is covered by insurance companies, and conservationists are trying to prevent thefts, for example, with camera systems. However, the thieves are often organized and take away downspouts from places that are out of camera reach.
    "There is hardly a historical object that has not fallen victim to the attack of these thieves at least once. And I'm not just talking about our objects, castles, and chateaus, but I am also referring to historical objects here in České Budějovice,” said Patrik Červák, director of the National Heritage Institute in České Budějovice, to ČTK. According to him, in the last month, thieves have focused on houses in Hradební and Panská streets.
    Historical objects are insured and equipped with camera systems, but these are not everywhere. "The camera system records that the thief did it, often catches him, but we can't take anything from him. They are fellow citizens who supplement their social benefits with this. And reclaiming money from these people is very problematic, if not impossible,” Červák pointed out.
    For example, this year, thieves took copper gutters worth 50,000 crowns from the walls of the Český Krumlov castle. "Most often, they disappeared in places that are not monitored either by security or within the view of careful camera eyes. Of course, those interested in this copper material identify places that are easiest to access and are not illuminated at night,” said Pavel Slavko, the curator of Český Krumlov, to ČTK.
    According to Slavko, the thefts are not random, and the perpetrators systematically prepare for them. For instance, 30 to 40 kilograms of copper sheet suddenly disappeared from the northern part of the castle, which cannot be carried away in hand. "We have recorded that the screws on the gutters are carefully lubricated beforehand so that they can be quietly dismantled and taken away,” noted Slavko.
    Conservationists must immediately have the gutters remade after a theft, as rain and frost could damage the precious facades. "It costs time, energy, and funds that could be used more efficiently,” added the curator. So far, according to him, the culprits have been caught only in a single case. They caused damage of over 100,000 crowns at the castle and other sites in Český Krumlov, but in court, they got away with a suspended sentence.
    This year, police recorded 99 cases of gutter thefts in South Bohemia, compared to two-thirds less last year. "Often, these are raiding groups from other parts of the country. About a third of the cases are successfully solved,” said South Bohemian police spokesperson Jana Kameníková to ČTK. According to her, the perpetrators are often homeless people or individuals dependent on drugs. Recently, in the Tábor region, police recorded a case where copper material disappeared even from a recycling center, which had previously been sold there by someone. "The biggest problem is that these recycling centers buy it,” added Kameníková.
    "It is a recurring issue. And if we do not want to use galvanized sheets, artificial materials, which as conservationists we can by no means allow, we will encounter this more often,” stated Červák.