The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: TAB on August 22, 2008, 01:27:30 AM
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http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1176499.html
I think now, I can say, I have heard it all when it comes to copper/brass theft.
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Well, he's sure a lot smarter than all the people who've died tyring to steal metal FROM LIVE POWER LINES. :o It's not just a rumor either. I saw plenty of pics on another forum.
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Guy In Mass got electrocuted trying to steal an aluminum light pole a couple months ago.
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Around the shore areas the houses are usually elevated. When metal prices are high it's pretty common to have a rash of thefts of plumbing. They come in at night with sawzalls and cut out all of the copper from under the houses.
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I also what to let you know here in Washington State the theft of Catalytic converters is an epidemic. I know 4 people, including my grandpa, who has had them cut with a saws-all out of underneath their cars.
There are 3 kinds of precious metals in the all Catalytic Converters Platinum,Palladium, and rhodium. Rhodium is worth about 6000 dollars an ounce. And you get about 2 grams of these metals total per Cat. A theif generally gets between 100 to 250 per Cat. And it will cost you on average about 500 dollars to replace your cat on your car.
So all of you that think your jacked up truck is cool, like I do, be careful where you park.
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Here in Holland they steel everything they can get their hands on. Almost every week there is a track where the trains won't run because they steel the power lines (no, no charcoal remains left, so they appear to be quite smart), scrapyards are a popular target, even museums (the brass and copper statues) and graveyards for the brass and copper statues and crosses on the graves. Some of these thieves are quite sick indeed! >:(
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Here in Colorado, cooper is what they are after. Any and all cooper isn't safe around here.
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Coopers must be very hard to find, very rare, so worth a LOT of money. There's just not much call for a wood staved cask these days. 8)
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Can't they just put up signs and pass laws to make these places "Metal Stealing Free Zones"??
Why has no one thought of this??
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Can't they just put up signs and pass laws to make these places "Metal Stealing Free Zones"??
Why has no one thought of this??
Probably because regulating and prohibiting the use of these metals would be a better solution. 8)
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You name it, and the goblins are stealing it around here: copper tubing from AC units, plumbing from new construction sites, copper wire from irrigation pivots, ground wires fron city power poles, manhole and storm drain covers. heck, in one town they even backed a truck up to a new house and pulled all the wiring out of the walls, through the sheet rock, at one time.
One poor guy has been hit three times in one month.
There was one old guy, though, he caught four teens trying to haul off a load of scrap steel from his barn. His wife called the sheriff while he shot out the tires and held the boys at gunpoint.
It's gonna get worse.
Hell, around here, they're stealing signs.
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In $hit, MI, I mean Flint, MI, they stole 400 manhole covers and storm drain grates. Its not safe to drive around, let alone ride a bike or skateboard. The thieves get $20 apiece and it costs $200 to replace each one.
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I'm surprised that they are even able to sell the metal anywhere. You would think the recycling centers would try to cooperate with the cops and immediately report suspicious looking items brought in by skeezers, like manhole covers or miles of copper wire.
Like pawn shops are supposed to reference firearm serial numbers against the stolen gun database, before buying or selling them.
Looks like they are going to have to start micro stamping every piece of metal. Its a shame that there are so many desparate losers out there.
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They are already keeping track of everyone who sells scrap at all the area scrap yards. You have to show ID and they put it in a log book for the cops. The thieves just go out of the area, though.
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Here in NC, Copper used in roofing; valley's, returns, different gable's, is often taken from new developments, wiring, and commercial construction is a huge target to the point that some have incorprated security at night.
In the marine industry, bronze has been an increasing target, as well as the copper used in older vessels in the boat yards.
The desperate times scenario for some, push them to rip off what they can. Personally, I hate a (expletive) thief.
This "plumber" sounds creative, but should be easy to find.
What about the brass?
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Here in NC, Copper used in roofing; valley's, returns, different gable's, is often taken from new developments, wiring, and commercial construction is a huge target to the point that some have incorprated security at night.
In the marine industry, bronze has been an increasing target, as well as the copper used in older vessels in the boat yards.
The desperate times scenario for some, push them to rip off what they can. Personally, I hate a (expletive) thief.
This "plumber" sounds creative, but should be easy to find.
What about the brass?
Me too. I can't stand a thief. Lowest form of human on the planet. Think about it, even a rapist or murderer is still a thief. They are taking something that is not theirs.
Through venting now.....
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One of my coworkers moved up in the world a couple years ago and bought a bigger house. He decided to keep his old one and become a landlord. A couple months ago he had a tenate skip out owing rent. Well my coworker got nailed twice, not only did the tenate skip on the rent he cut out and stole any exposed wiring and the aluminum screen doors.
In another incident there was a power outage downtown late one night/early morning. The power crew found a vault with the man hole cover removed and a burnt body with a bolt cutter in the vault.
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up date... he hit two more places today between 11 and 2
I have done many homes that have had the metals taken from them... twice I have handed a bill that was just under 6 figures( 93k and 98k) to fix damages done by these guys. Both times they stole the copper from the basement( un finished), with out turning the water off. One of these days they are going to do that too a home built around the turn of the century and its going to cuase big time foundation probs.
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I'm surprised that they are even able to sell the metal anywhere. You would think the recycling centers would try to cooperate with the cops and immediately report suspicious looking items brought in by skeezers, like manhole covers or miles of copper wire.
Like pawn shops are supposed to reference firearm serial numbers against the stolen gun database, before buying or selling them.
Looks like they are going to have to start micro stamping every piece of metal. Its a shame that there are so many desparate losers out there.
Oh I would have such a hard time selling my collection of 500 manhole covers if they did, LOL! Like we all have a great collection of manhole covers we have been saving for hard times or something. Sheesh!
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Oh I would have such a hard time selling my collection of 500 manhole covers if they did, LOL! Like we all have a great collection of manhole covers we have been saving for hard times or something. Sheesh!
the only hard part would be hualing that ~ 75-100k lbs of iorn around.
Whats funny is all the scrap yards( around here anyways) have big signs... saying blah, blah,blah... felony... blah blah blah and have even gone as far giving you a pay check in 1099 form. Still every time I go, I see something, that came from some municipality or utilty company. They have gone so far as in my county passing laws that you must provide proof that you own those said materails... I gave them a biz card, and never been asked since.