Police on Wednesday said they arrested five people on suspicion of stealing more than HK$1 million worth of copper pipes across Hong Kong since January.

The three men and two women arrested, aged between 51 and 97, allegedly stole a total of around 2.5 kilometres of copper pipes in 22 different cases between January and March.

Officers said the suspects took the pipes from parks and back alleys and sold them for money. They were arrested at a recycling shop in Tai Kok Tsui on suspicion of theft and handling stolen goods on Tuesday night.

Police called on recycling shop owners to watch out for suspicious sellers.