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Copper kettle caper: Pots, 50 lbs. each, vanish from Pa. church

One of the 50 pound kettles stolen from the First Presbyterian Church of Darlington, Pa. CBS Pittsburgh

(CBS) SOUTH BEAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The First United Presbyterian Church of Darlington is trying to crack a  copper kettle caper.

Six of the church's seven kettles, weighing 50 pounds apiece, vanished from a church garage Friday. It would take two men to lift one off its hooks, so officials suspect an inside job, CBS Pittsburgh reports.

The theft of the big pots could put an end to a century-old tradition for the church in Beaver County.

"Some of these kettles are from the late 1800's and children, young people would work with their parents to make ...apple butter," Kevin Vosler, a church elder, said.

The church uses money from the sale of the apple butter each October to help the community.

"We help people with their rent and helped with bills and we have a food pantry," Vosler said. "It had to be somebody who knew they (the kettles) were in there so more than likely it was somebody that we have helped," Vosler said.

Police are scouring all the scrap yards and antique shops throughout the area for the kettles.


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