Pueblo man sentenced to seven years for HVAC damage and copper theft exceeding $1 million

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- A 45-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after damaging HVAC units and stealing copper, resulting in more than a million dollars' worth of damage.

Pueblo Police Department (PPD) says an investigation began in mid-2024 after a series of thefts and property-damage incidents targeting HVAC systems throughout the city.

PPD says that over several months, after tracking patterns and tracing multiple crime scenes involving stripped copper and damaged rooftop units, the primary suspect was identified as Claude Sterner.

Sterner was charged with three felony counts related to the investigation, PPD says.

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