Tulsa Police arrested suspects who claimed to be air conditioning repair workers while cutting copper from a building at Henthorne Park on Aug. 10.

Officers responded around 7:07 a.m. after a caller reported hearing a saw behind a building at the park, located near 48th Street and Quaker Avenue, according to the Tulsa Police Department's official account on X. When officers arrived, the individuals at the scene told them they were working on an A/C unit.

They weren't.

Police determined the suspects were actually attempting to steal copper from the park facility and arrested them at the scene, Tulsa Police said. The department announced the arrests Aug. 12, posting four photos from the incident.

Henthorne Park, at 4825 S. Quaker Ave., is a midtown Tulsa park with baseball fields, basketball courts, a playground, soccer fields and tennis courts.

A pattern across Tulsa

The early-morning attempt is the latest in a string of copper theft incidents that Tulsa Police have publicized this year.

On June 2, officers arrested two suspects on felony conspiracy charges after responding to a suspicious activity call at a commercial property near Apache and N. Sheridan around 10:24 p.m., according to a Tulsa Police Facebook post.

On April 2, a 29-year-old man was arrested for larceny of copper wire and obstruction after police found him climbing highway signs over the BA Expressway near Highway 169 around 12:30 a.m., according to a separate Tulsa Police Facebook post. Officers observed copper wires draped down the scaffolding.

The Henthorne Park incident stands out for its timing and cover story. While the April and June arrests occurred late at night, the Aug. 10 suspects attempted the theft shortly after 7 a.m. at a park where families regularly gather.

Tulsa Police have not released the names of the Henthorne Park suspects or specified what charges they face. Residents who witness suspicious activity at city parks can call Tulsa Police at 918-596-9222 or 911 for emergencies.