Forget About People Stealing Gold or Platinum: Now It's Copper
By pyewacket
@pyewacket (43903)
United States
April 26, 2008 10:55pm CST
I was inspired with this discussion from another discussion of a fellow MyLotter (Mooch) who wrote about how a fire couldn't be put out as the copper fittings for fire hydrants were stolen.
I had actually heard about the new popularity of copper stealing on the late, late broadcast of ABC's World News Now --It seems it's no longer gold or platinum are the precious metals to steal, but copper. Remember not that long ago, the craze for people to rip and steal people's gold necklaces to make a quick buck? Well now that copper is worth about $4.00 a pound which of course no where nears comparison to the worth of gold and platinum of course, copper is more accessible and found in a lot more places and items as this article suggests...
Here's part the World News Now article itself and has a video as well
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/story?id=4691005&page=1
(quote)
..."When hundreds of people lost their telephone service last week in Parkview, Mo., it wasn't because of bad weather hitting the Kansas City suburb, but another kind of storm that has quietly spread across the country.
Rising copper prices are causing thieves to steal metal anywhere it can be found
The outage was caused by thieves who cut a phone line to steal $10 worth of copper. This just the latest incident in what seems to be the new hot item for burglars: copper.
The price of copper is nearing $4 a pound and has more than quadrupled in the past five years.
"The price is the highest in history, so everybody out there is trying to get a quick buck," says Steven Petriello, a scrap metal dealer.
As a result, warehouses, construction sites, churches, lamp posts and cemeteries are being targeted, sometimes repeatedly as thieves literally rip off the copper.
In another recent Missouri heist, federal authorities charged two men with stealing copper that was supposed to be used in the war effort.
"It was over 8 tons of material that could have produced about 1.5 million rounds of ammunition," assistant U.S. Attorney James Crowles said.
One of the men allegedly took copper from the ammunition plant they worked at and sold it to a salvage company, he said. According to law enforcement officials, the men split about $45,000 in profits from the sales.
In some cases the thieves are brazen enough to steal copper from working power lines and stations. They are actually cutting through live electrical wires, as police in Fort Worth, Texas, found...."
I guess this is a sign of the times when people can come up with such an idea of stealing copper to make extra money...gee, what next? Will there be bank robberies where robbers demand all those copper pennies??
7 people like this
23 responses
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I first found out about the copper stealing problem by watching an episode of Cops on TruTV. I than saw how much of a problem it was becoming when I watched an episode of Flip This House on A&E, and the people on there were trying to restore an abandoned house, they finally had to place a guard at the house, cause thieves kept running off with the copper plumbing.
I know things have become tough for some individuals, but stealing is never the right way to go to make a few extra dollars. Yes, get enough of it and a person could make a great deal of money off it, but I'm sure there is a better way to get at it without stealing from someone else.
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Shhh...might give the thieves an idea or two!!!!
But I can imagine that it may have already happened a time or two, we just haven't heard about it yet. If thieves are willing to cut electrical and phone lines, I can imagine there are a few out there with the gall to try and take on hardware stores.
4 people like this
@heavenschild (4777)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
No different than trying to steal steaks from the grocery store and that happens all the time!!!
~Heavens~
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
That kind of reminds me...I wonder if they'll be a wave of stealing copper pipes from hardware stores as well??
3 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Apr 08
Are pennies still made of 100% ciopper?
What I find so crazy about people stealing copper is that this has spread. We came back to New Orleans roughly 3 months after hurricane Katrina and people around here were already stealing copper. For about a year copper being stolen was a major deal. For about the last year, you don't hear about copper theft on the news anymore. I guess since more people have come back and restored their homes the thieves have to get their copper from other places.
5 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Nope..just did a quick look and pennies haven't been made out of pure copper in awhile but a combo of zinc and copper...still I guess they could be worth enough melted down if one had enough of them. All this about copper stealing is frankly new to me and hadn't heard about this prior to the newscast I saw==gee, what next?
4 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Apr 08
People will steal anything for a buck.
What was really a shame around here was that the plumbing was being stolen from raised houses. So people rebuilding would come back, redo their plumbing and that night people we coming in and stealing it.
It was huge problem with illegal aliens doing it. To the point that certain areas set up stop points and the police were checking truck all day and all night. Only contractors were allowed to bring copper in and out of areas and the places that buy the copper had to keep copy of state Ids & contractor numbers on file.
I assume it isn't happening here anymore since no one is reporting on it.
This is sort of like the car part that converter that is being stolen off of cars. There was a local story a few months prior to there being a national story on the subject. That was weird too b/c often the local news for stuff like that is a few days behind because they take their time reporting stuff if it isn't happening here.
3 people like this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
It is a big thing here too, so many people are stealing it here in canada, robbing it from big companies like the hydro and the telephone companies. There is talk that it is the work of the hells angels.
4 people like this
@heavenschild (4777)
• Canada
27 Apr 08
I wouldn't be surprised if it is world wide!!!!
~Heavens~
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Goodness, you mean it's happening in Canada as well? Wonder if it's happening in Europe as well
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Yup...just found out pennies are made of a combo of zinc and copper now...but hey! I have a few very old pure copper coins...LOL
3 people like this
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
27 Apr 08
Copper has always been one of the most expensive metal in the scrap yard. Maybe people simply did not realise it until now.
Most popular items are electric cables, water pipes and car's radiators.
The easy way around this problem is for the scrap yard to ask the person for some identity if he is turning up with a large amount of electric cables or water pipes.
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
27 Apr 08
Electricians, plumbers and motor mechanics don't throw their old copper in the garbage dump. They sell it to the scrap yard.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I certainly never realize copper as one of the most expensive scrap metals until now--its a wonder people don't hunt around garbage dumps to find things that have copper in them...or maybe they do??
3 people like this
@bubblyapple (2653)
• Philippines
27 Apr 08
so copper is the "in" thing now.....just today the pastor at our church said that they are asking for help from all the members because the airconditioning unit of our church's adjacent school is stolen...and its not the airconditioning unit for the window, it's one of those big, tall ones! just think how they are able to carry it out!!! our pastor said that this thing is rampant around area at this time because of the copper in each unit....that's why he said we have to be careful and stay alert...we have to watch out so that we won't be the next victim!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
My that's so unreal that people would actually steal a large air conditioning unit like that just for the copper!
4 people like this
@Kowgirl (3489)
• United States
27 Apr 08
That's been going on here in Florida for years. The copper was stolen out of AC's at 3 schools (on top of the roofs) Any house that is vacant gets the phone lines and the AC torn up within days of becoming vacant. The big businesses have even put a fence with locks over their ac's and one man was arrested when he got caught in rolled barbed wire and got cut up pretty bad. Some apartments have started to put fencing around their ac's but that wont stop some people. They know how long it takes for the police to get to any place they are planning to rob of their copper. One man had a guy come to his door and claimed to be there to inspect the AC unit. Later when the man went outside to check on him he had torn the copper out and was gone. That was the boldest thief I have ever heard of. I just wonder what will be next. My son said that someone broke into the building where he works and stole hundreds of dollars of aluminum piping.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
OMG...that's really something about that guy who had his AC unit stripped of the copper. I really had no idea that this kind of thing was happening about the stealing of copper until I heard it the other night
1 person likes this
@tombiz (2036)
• Philippines
27 Apr 08
This very much speaks of the kind of world we are in now...we are now heading towards the catastrophic extinction of the humanity.
The next news will probably be stealing foods as the prices of foods are steadily rising...this will be particularly true in the poor and developing nations. I live in the Philippines and I certainly know what it means to have no foods at all at the table.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Have you heard that there actually are riots over food in Haiti? Don't know if they are stealing food, but they are rioting there
2 people like this
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
27 Apr 08
We have had many many thefts of various copper here. I did a search on my newspaper's website and it came up with 18 results...all of which were copper thefts. Can you imagine the devastation that could occur when someone steals the gate signal wires for railroad crossings and it was found out too late? I just copy/pasted these with many more... link is here if you are interested--- http://daily-journal.com/djnews/archives/dj/search.php?query=Copper%20thefts&page=0&date_type=&date_last=
Sorry, but as badly as we need the money, hubby and I would never ever stoop this low like these thieves are.
Local News Apr 14, 2008
Police blotter 4-14-08
... Police said the thefts occurred between March 19 and Friday... Copper thieves strike Two Bourbonnais area mobile homes were stripped of copper water piping in recent days, noted Kankakee County sheriff's police... Copper piping was also taken from beneath a mobile home at 8 St...
Local News Apr 9, 2008
Police blotter 4-9-08
...Copper theft continues The theft of copper pipe continued Tuesday when about 70 feet of piping was cut out of a basement of a house in the 200 block of South Sibley Avenue in Kankakee... There were three reported thefts of copper piping reported in Momence and St... There were three reported thef...
Illinois AP Jan 6, 2008
Copper thieves target signaling wires at railroad crossings
... (AP) -- Copper thieves made off with wires that signal warning lights and lower gates at Will County railroad crossings, and officials said the thefts could increase the chances of a deadly collision... (AP) -- Copper thieves made off with wires that signal warning lights and lower gates at Will...
Police blotter 3-13-08
... Copper thieves strike Upwards of 1,500 feet of copper wire were stolen from along the Union Pacific right of way Saturday morning after thieves rigged the heavy line so that a passing train would cut it for them... Prior thefts of copper wire along that stretch of tracks have included sig...
2 people like this
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
30 Apr 08
gee, what are railroad tracks made of???? IRON- which is only going for round $100/ton, maybe a lil more. Wish we were able to cash in on the bottles. Heck the ditches would be just about stripped clean of their plastic/glass bottles along with the aluminum cans.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Yeesh...so far I'm not aware of any stealings of copper in my neck of the woods...the only thing people seem to help themselves around here is to get at all the plastic and glass bottles that are in the blue recycle bags on garbage day to get the 5¢ bottle deposit--you should see them...some I honestly swear make it their living to do this and in order to do so, steal the shopping carts from supermarkets to hold all their bottles in
I'll have to do a search in my newspapers if there are any mentions of stealing copper
As far as the railroad gate....gee, what are railroad tracks made of????
1 person likes this
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
27 Apr 08
Hi pyewacket! That is true! Copper is also being stolen here in our place and I guess, it is mainly because of the hard times. People are thinking of ways how they can earn fast so they can feed their hungry stomach. I, too am wondering what would be the next hot item to steal. Gee, life is hard and if they keep on stealing these copper wires, the cost of repair and replacement will also be burdened by it. Just my thoughts dear friend. Take care and have a nice day!
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Yes, it would be interesting to hear what new thing will become popular to steal to make "easy" money
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I only live a few hours from there. Those little copper theives better keep themselves away from SE Missouri. How ridiculous to steal copper for a whopping $4 a pound. With the amount of time it takes them to steal it they could have gone and worked an hour at minimum wage somewhere and gotten the same amount.
3 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
True people that steal copper like this for only $4 a pound could legitimately earn it by working, but I would imagine getting money this way is "off the books" income...I mean no one would be reporting it as income on tax returns would they?
1 person likes this
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
27 Apr 08
It is terrible, and it shows that things are bad when we start to hear stories like this. I heard something the other day on the news about somewhere near where I live people had been stealing man hole covers because there was some money to be had out of what they are made from.
The trouble is when things are tough, people do what they have to do to survive and get through. They do not think about what they are actually doing and what danger they put themselves in or what hurt they may cause to others. They just see the money signs in front of their eyes.
3 people like this
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
27 Apr 08
The manhole covers are probably cast iron which also has a good scrap value.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Yikes...if stealing manhole covers becomes a thing where I am that could be serious...have any idea how many manhole covers are in the NYC area....yeesh
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Apr 08
so the big thing to steal is now copper and the thieves do not give a fig if they put peoples phones or other apparatuses out of order just as long as they get some copper.. Itis a wonder that they do not electrocute themselves which might help out the police I guess.an electrocuted thief is not going to steal any more copper.lol There must be a zillion things which have copper in them so will we expect more thieving and more shut downs of various things?
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
As I mentioned to the person above you it's a wonder people don't think to steal copper pipes or wiring from hardware type stores--but who knows, they just might
3 people like this
@tjades (3590)
• Jamaica
27 Apr 08
I wasnt aware this was a US problem as well. There was a time when a coin made from 100% copper had to be recalled and mixed with anather metal here in Jamaica. The telephone company and its customers in certain areas also suffered at the hand of copper stealers.
The vast demand for scrap metal in India and China caused a huge metal stealing rampage across the country a few months ago until the government regularised the sector earlier this year. The thieves were making off with the metal rails from bridges etc... A few weeks ago men were caught cutting down a light pole to a sugar company. The main players in the scrap metal industry were mad at the government as tighter security meassures and a thorough check of their loaded containers would land them in trouble if any illegal metal was found.
The other day i learnt of a dealer who was tricked by men who loaded stones into the bottom of the continer and then pack the metals on top. Serves him rithg as far as I am concerned. I think if he had implemented procedures so that the name and proper identification of each supplier was attached to their container the thieves would not have gotten away. With the regularisation the theft of scrap metals and vital infrastructure have really lessened.
4 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I only just heard about this phenomena in our country the other night and couldn't believe people were actually risking their lives by cutting copper wiring from live wires from poles of all things...guess people are really desperate to make a few extra bucks
3 people like this
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
27 Apr 08
We've actually had quite a few thefts of copper here in WV. I remember reading a news article about a year ago where people were stealing some things made of copper from a railroad site. Someone called the cops but they were already gone and the copper was of course in their possession. I don't know if it's getting any worse or not here, but I know it probably only will.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
So far I haven't heard of any copper stealing in my area...just a matter of time I guess
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Some jerk here in Texas got electricuted when he broke into one of those places that have all those power thingies that keep the power going from the power plant. The family tried to sue the power company, but it was proven that he was electricuted when he tried to get to the copper.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Oh for crying out loud The family tried to sue the power company? Like duh?
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51828)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
27 Apr 08
Well. actually, there's very little copper in pennies these days... they are mostly zinc/tin with a very thin coating of copper...
But be that as it may, I have seen scavengers snip off the cords from electrical appliances put out for recycling... an awful lot of work for a few cents' worth of copper (considering having to strip the rubber casing from the wire).
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9075)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Yes it does but being we light the fire under the canopy of trees, the smoke kinda goes straight up into the canopy. Weird cause it's as if the leaves absorb it all b4 the smoke filters thru them out the top.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51828)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
27 Apr 08
Doesn't that cause noxious fumes?
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
That's what I was thinking...be careful about burning the plastic coating on wires blackbrier...most plastics like that are PVC plastics...the most poisonous type of plastic around and when burned releases carcinogenic toxins
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
27 Apr 08
i've seen this happen first hand,unfortunetly.
somebody stole the copper drains off my mother's garage.i'm pretty sure it was the guy behind us,but i can't prove it.
hope he felt good stealing from a widow.
people will do anything nowadays it seems.
but fire hydrants are a new low.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
1 May 08
it certainly was petty.
i'm not happy i have to replace the drains now.
ah well..i suppose pvc will last longer.
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
That's terrible that he stole the copper drains from your mother's garage. Too bad you can't prove it though
1 person likes this
@isaiah12 (416)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I know I have been hearing alot about people stealing copper around here. They have been targeting houses that are empty. Either ones that are for sale with no one living there. Or ones where the owners are away for vacation.
Recently the woman I work for had a water leak. When the plumber came he said he needed to replace a pipe. But he wasn't going to use copper, it would cost too much. And it is unsafe if people know you have copper pipes. If it gets around someone could try to steal it.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
I would imagine people are having a field day trying to break into all the homes that are on foreclosure lists just to steal any copper from them
@creative_genius (992)
•
27 Apr 08
It is scary that people are cutting into live electrical wires in order to make some cash, have they not heard of the Darwin Awards? I read about a listed bulding in the UK that was broken into and theives stole about £30,000 worth of lead in the roof.
2 people like this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Apr 08
Yes that has to be the stupidest thing of all to do..to steal the copper from live wires
