[BC] AM Theft Mitigation

[Mike McCarthy]

Pipe dream.   Won't happen.

We just had a major theft off our roof in broad daylight. The thief was a 
homeless man who was out on parole (for burglary no less.) The police 
caught him with a neighbor's garbage can (on wheels) rolling it down the 
street filled with what was our roof ground. They knew where it came from 
and called us right away.  We believe, but can't prove this was the same 
guy coming in a ripping the ground screen out while were rebuilding the site.

As the adage goes, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.  And this guy 
doesn't have a turnip to eat, let alone squeeze.

MM


At 05:19 PM 12/22/2006 -0700, Jerry Mathis wrote
>You know, it seems to me there's a solution to the copper theft problem.
>
>1. Have people that bring in scrap copper produce some verifiable 
>identification.
>2. License scrap dealers to take in copper, and as part of the licensing, 
>have some training to look for obvious theft (such as large quantities of 
>#10 bare copper wire with dirt clinging to it, large lengths/quantities of 
>coaxial cable, and large quantities of new-looking copper pipe/tubing and 
>romex cable). There can't be that much of these items thrown away on a 
>daily basis, so if someone is bringing it in regularly, there's a good 
>chance it's stolen.
>3. License people to be copper scrap sellers. If it's your legitimate 
>business to collect and sell copper scrap to dealers, then getting a 
>license should be a small problem. This process can be used to weed out 
>criminals, druggies, and gangs.
>4. Before a scrap dealer can buy scrap copper, he must verify the source 
>of the copper, as to location it came from, and its owner.
>5. Require that all scrap dealers that take in copper should be notified 
>of thefts within, say, a 300 mile radius of their location. Thieves aren't 
>going to drive further than that to dispose of their wares; it would cost 
>more than what they'd get for the copper.
>6. Have stiff penalties for people convicted of copper theft, beyond just 
>petty larceny and theft. A few people sentenced to 30 years or so for this 
>would surely make others think twice or three times.
>7. For those convicted, make them pay restitution. That'll keep them poor 
>for a LONG time.
>
>There are probably other ideas that would work. Since copper is becoming a 
>valuable resource, I think we should take pains to protect our investments.
>
>JM
>
>
>
>On 12/22/06, Rob Atkinson 
><<mailto:ranchorobbo at hotmail.com>ranchorobbo at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Ron Nott suggests copperweld because it's not worth anything to the
> > copper thieves.
>
>yes but this assumes the guy pulling up the wire knows something  about
>copper wire.  I would bet he's no good at distinguishing the difference
>between the moon and the sun and worse at eyeballing no. 10 bare copperweld
>and knowing it's not no. 10 solid.   especially if they're out there at
>night.  this is why i'm a bit nervous about my heliax runs.  the stuff
>really doesn't have much copper.  the shield is thin enough to peel with
>pliars.  the center is cladded aluminum.  but a thief might think it's the
>mother lode.  of course the scrap dealer will probably set him straight but
>by then the damage is done.  you think he's gonna come back and apologize?
>
>
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