Police arrest copper burglar suspect at Apple's Campus 2 construction site

According to a report by Henry Lee of the SF Chronicle, Apple's security patrol called in the police to investigate a burglary in progress Saturday evening.

The site is a former HP campus that Apple acquired in 2010 and actively began tearing down in August (below) in order to make room for its new research and design office complex in Cupertino.

Existing buildings on the site are being gutted, with valuable recyclables like copper being reclaimed for recycling. Vacant buildings are an attraction to thieves seeking to harvest copper pipes and wiring, which can fetch around $3 per pound.

Police called in a helicopter and K-9 unit to investigate the situation. They discovered a 56 year old man from Belmont hiding at the site, whom they attacked with their police dogs for failing to obey orders, the report stated.

A bag of tools was discovered near an exit gate along with the copper. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of burglary and possession of burglary tools.

Apple recently received final approval to begin building Campus 2, including the project's signature 2.8-million-square-foot circular "spaceship" building and a series of supporting structures.

The site will host over 12,000 employees. Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said in February that he expects building to be completed by 2016.