Among other items, thieves stole major appliances as well as a wall heating unit and a heavy, wood-burning stove—all things that could be quickly sold for scrap metal, often with no questions asked.

What alerted my family to the robbery was the fact that the electric bill was zero for two months. When the power company checked the house, they discovered that the copper wiring had been stripped from the box. No electricity, no bill.

Because of the dramatic rise in the cost of metals, a small, modest home that is hardly noticeable became a target for burglars.

It stands to reason that a large, empty building would be a virtual copper mine to thieves. This means that risk managers must take extra precautions and be vigilant, making sure their property is secure.

While costs of security and coverage will no doubt rise, the alternative is buildings rendered useless, stripped of all wiring, air conditioning units and anything else seen of value.

The good news is that detectives in this area of North Carolina say they have located two theft rings targeting empty homes. One man in custody was thought to have worked with a group that robbed our house and others in the vicinity as well.

The bad news is that this won't bring back the stolen items or the damage done to the premises.