advanced search

To Catch a Thief

Nov 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Beck Ireland, Staff Writer

These measures — both federal and state — have the full cooperation of many scrap dealers. The Institute of Recycling Industries (ISRI), Washington, D.C., a trade association for scrap yards, has created a theft alert system to notify its members about specific theft incidents and set up an awareness program with the National Crime Prevention Council, Arlington, Va. It has also made available to its members best practices for avoiding hot scrap metal.

Despite the new laws and practices, there are still some shady dealers, called the “gray market” — around 1% of the total industry — willing to buy the scrap with no questions asked in order to turn around and sell it to legitimate dealers. In this case, the thieves would receive considerably less for their efforts (around $1.50 a pound). It has also been reported that some thieves trade scrap for drugs in lieu of money.

Prior knowledge

Of all the measures used to combat the copper theft epidemic, the most effective have been awareness and cooperation programs involving local police departments and the public. In fact, several thieves have been apprehended literally up a pole after police were given instructions as to where to look for them. To raise public awareness, RSI posts video footage of actual incidents on its Web site at http://www.coppertheft.info/videos_of_actual_incidents.asp.

Without prior knowledge of thefts in the area, the uniformed Mesa police officer wouldn't have been tipped off to the presence of criminal activity by darkened streetlights. “What's helped the police department the most is my manager has assigned me the task of staying on top of this,” Mason says. “I notify the police officers and analysts. All the wire thefts come through me, and I funnel all the information to 31 police officers and analysts.”

Mesa uses a mapping system to track incidents. It also take samples of wire left behind to provide lot numbers, manufacturer name, date, insulation rating and wire size. “Sometimes, they can't strip the wire, so they try to sell it with the insulation on,” Mason says. “This has helped the police officers a lot.”

Finally, the most effective weapon against copper theft in Mesa has been a board with copper wiring in different sizes and from different locations throughout the city mounted onto it, which the department uses to teach patrol officers and detectives what different types of wiring look like and where they come from. “It takes the police department a while to build their evidence, but they usually catch the thieves,” says Mason. “I'm aware of 11 suspects that have been captured since July 1, 2007.”

The arrests themselves can act as a theft deterrent, but according to Mason, in this climate, eventually there's always someone else desperate enough to take the chance. “Several times when they make these arrests, the wire thefts go way down,” Mason says. “But then somebody new gets in on it.”

Sidebar: Copper's Downside Potential

Despite a market still in deficit conditions and a low inventory, copper prices are expected to decline in 2009, according to John Mothersole, principal, Pricing and Purchasing Service, Global Insight, a Washington, D.C.-based economic and financial analysis firm. In a building materials outlook, Mothersole presented copper as a commodity in price decline, with a small surplus expected in 2008 that widens out in 2009, pointing to even lower prices. “It's good news for copper,” he says.

Currently, prices are less than $6,000 per metric ton, but have the downside potential to achieve marginal costs near $4,000 per metric ton. The only gray cloud on the price break horizon is that Chilean mining remains troubled, which could potentially cause bottlenecks for inventory and higher costs.

When asked if the price decline should provide some relief from the copper theft epidemic, Mothersole responded, “Without a doubt. It may take some time, but there will be some relief.”

Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue EC&M Magazine | April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters