Police report that they have arrested a second man on 45 criminal charges stemming from a recent string of 15 local burglaries, in which he and another man allegedly stole copper piping from unoccupied buildings so they could sell the metal for its scrap value.

Police said that on September 18, they arrested Besmir Redzepi, 21, of Waterbury on a warrant, charging him with 15 counts of third-degree burglary, 15 counts of conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, and 15 counts of third-degree criminal mischief.

Newtown police said they arrested Redzepi on the 45 counts while he was at Danbury Superior Court in connection with other charges filed against him by Bethel police.

On August 22, Newtown police arrested Robert Willis, 19, of 7 Pole Bridge Road, Sandy Hook, on the same 45 counts that are pending against Redzepi.

Police allege that Redzepi and Willis are co-conspirators. Police allege the crimes occurred from November 2013 through May 2014.

After his September 18 arrest, Redzepi was held on $75,000 bail for court arraignment. At court, Redzepi pleaded not guilty to all 45 counts.

Redzepi also has ten other charges pending against him stemming from Bethel and Waterbury incidents.

Redzepi was being held on September 23 on $75,100 bail at the Bridgeport Correctional Center. He is next scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on October 6.

Willis has pleaded not guilty in court to all 45 Newtown copper theft charges. He is next scheduled to be in Danbury Superior Court on those 45 charges on October 29.

Willis also is facing 11 pending charges filed by Bethel and Monroe police. Willis is free on $37,500 bail overall.

Police have not recovered the stolen copper piping which was taken in the 15 Newtown burglaries.

Consequently, police did not arrest either Redzepi or Willis on any larceny charges.

The current scrap market price for used copper tubing is about $2.50 per pound.

The copper thefts occurred at various properties across Newtown. Such crimes tend to occur when there is difficult economy, according to police.

The charges against Redzepi and Willis do not involve the theft of a large amount of scrap copper from Cochran House at Fairfield Hills, which occurred earlier this year, according to police.

Besides the theft of copper, such incidents can cause related damage to properties.

In one May copper theft, in the process of stealing copper pipe from a house on Sugar Street, the thief punctured a charged water pipe, resulting in pressurized water spraying out of the broken pipe and flooding the basement to a depth of about 30 inches, representing about 2,000 gallons of water spilled onto the floor.

Police have said that people who burglarize houses to steal copper know exactly what they want to do once inside a house and then do it quickly, typically evading capture.