Several people charged with breaking into old Pittsburgh-area hospital and stealing copper wire

In New Kensington, police arrested more than half a dozen people this week who are accused of breaking into the former Citizens General Hospital.

The Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said New Kensington police filed charges against at least eight people who were found inside the building with stolen copper wire. 

The roughly 300,000-square-foot building was once a place people in New Kensington turned their eyes to for medical care, but now it has become not only an eyesore but a major headache for the city.

"The reason they are breaking into the hospital is because the amount of copper, aluminum and scrap that is in the building and if you take that to a scrapyard, it's $4.20 a pound for number 1 copper," said John Zavadak, the New Kensington city clerk.

He says the break-ins and thefts have been an ongoing issue since the hospital closed back in 2021. And while New Kensington police regularly patrol the property, Zavadak estimates more than $100,000 worth of metal has already been stolen from the building.

New Kensington Code Enforcement Officer Chris Lecocq says much of the blame falls on Florida-based property owner Resolution Property Group Incorporated.

According to Lecocq, the company has repeatedly told the city it plans to clean up and secure the property, but nothing has been done. He also says the company owes the city thousands of dollars in unpaid code violation fines.

"It is a huge liability, Lecocq said. "Especially a building of this magnitude with so many entrances and exit points. You know, we do our best to try to secure it, but there's always a way somebody could try to find their way into the building."

"Ultimately, if we can't reuse the building, we'd like to see this parcel demoed and brought back into another use," Zavadak said. "Whether that might be retail, whether it is housing, I mean, it is five and a half acres right in the middle of the city."

KDKA reached out to the property owner about this situation, but didn't hear back. And while the fate of this property is still up in the air, the City of New Kensington wants everyone to know that if you break in here and you are caught, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.