If you figure that a better economy these days means less metal theft, think again. Theft of copper, aluminum and other metals continues as people see a way to easily make money to buy drugs or other uses.
Verizon said it is prepared to pay up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for recent thefts of copper telephone cables in Pennsylvania.
Copper fetches nearly three dollars a pound at scrapyards these days, and the demand does not appear to be abating at all.
May 1, 2014
Common recommendations for deterring copper theft include painting copper black to disguise it as plastic tubing, fencing areas with copper, or investing in alarm systems, surveillance cameras or security officers.
Efforts to crack down on copper theft suffered a setback in New Jersey with the surprise veto of a bill that would have required scrap dealers to keep records of their purchases.
With the region facing challenging economic times and the value of recycled copper rising, copper theft at Springfield, Mo.’s unmanned electricity substations was starting to rise at an alarming rate.
