Trying to steal copper

[OldDeadOne]

Just heard via TG 9019(Troop 6 Beckley Dispatch) that some one or people around the middle lawson(?) area is trying to cut a down a power pole and steal copper(witness is calling it in),I hope those involved don't get eletrocuted...state police is enroute at this time.

 

[sphipps]

Copper theft is a big industry. I work in the plumbing supplies field and have had folks steal copper pipe out of our yard and start running down to the recycling center... on foot... several blocks away. Luckily we've always caught them before they make it there.

One night a group of thieves stole all of the old electrical copper conduit off the side of our building. It was in a fenced area facing a 24 hour "fast food" joint, so they had to work hard to get it and I'm surprised nobody saw them in the act. I wish that service was live and would have gave them a lesson they wouldn't forget, but it had been disconnected for decades.

 

[W8RMH]

I have heard of people being hurt or killed stealing wire from cell phone tower sites. If someone is stupid enough to steal copper wire from a power pole they deserve to get electrocuted. It will make them think twice about doing it again.

 

[zzdiesel]

They steal it from everywhere around here; even the farmer's center pivot irrigation units.

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Just read about all the theft reports around the United States!
Some reports have photos available.
http://www.scraptheftalert.com/allTheftReports.aspx

 

[KE5TLF]

Overhead power lines are aluminum....

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux i686; U; en-US) Gecko/20081217 Vision-Browser/8.1 301x200 LG VN530)

Other wiring on the pole may be copper, though, correct? Cable tv, telephone, etc. Copper pipe and wire theft is a big problem in a lot of places. Recently a school in the Phoenix area had all 13 A/C units stolen for their copper.

 

[MOTOROLANUT]

Overhead power lines are aluminum....

Are the ground wires copper?

 

[mdulrich]

It is amazing the level of stupidity these thieves can rise to trying to get copper.

Would-Be Copper Thief ‘Extremely Grave’ After He’s Shocked And Catches On Fire « CBS Los Angeles

Mike

 

[OldDeadOne]

There are pictures out there of two MELTED dudes who tried to steal copper,it isn't that pretty to look at,if they here in WV just provide a billboard around this state showing that picture and maybe a caption that says "Copper thieves have this to look forward to,don't do it!"

 

[SurgePGH]

Overhead power lines are aluminum....

They are after the telco lines, not the electric, when it comes to the utility poles.

 

[Thayne]

Around here they are rolling under Trucks & SUV's and cutting out the catalytic converter with battery powered sawzalls. It can cost up to 1k to fix because they ruin the connecting pipes too.
Just to get $100-$200---

 

[RadioDitch]

Possibility of it being from the railroad. Certain points on CSX in the New River Gorge are still operated via hard codeline, which is copper. Very heavy copy at that. It commonly can be solid core, with stranded shield.

 

[zzdiesel]

They've been stealing A/C units here mostly from churches.

 

[jackj]

Breaking into repo'd houses and stealing copper wiring and plumbing. That's a LOT of work for a small return <$100.

 

[zzdiesel]

Yes, but it costs the owners hundreds or thousands

 

[kingpewpew]

They've been stealing A/C units here mostly from churches.

Some thieves hit four different churches in my area and nabbed around nine A/C condensers. Plus around the corner they tried to get some F2 pair from the local telco but idiots didn't realize it was fiber. Thankfully it fed a single remote terminal and not a cell site.

 

[datainmotion]

Breaking into repo'd houses and stealing copper wiring and plumbing. That's a LOT of work for a small return <$100.

Enough to get them some meth or crack.

 

[zzdiesel]

They're going to have to make the penalties for copper a lot stiffer to curtail this.

 

[iamhere300]

Penalties don't seem to deter them.

Guy broke into one of my sites, got 7 years hard time - 11 years total in Hollister MO.

http://taneycountyprosecutor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/carl-thompson-copper-thefts.pdf