Thieves target base metals; London pair captured by police

15. April 2008 by admin.

Record high metal prices have area thefts on the rise. Police say thieves are becoming more brazen in their efforts to cash in on high prices for base metals such as copper and aluminum.

In Lambton County, police say items such as copper wiring, piping, conduit and aluminum are in high demand because they can fetch a handsome return from scrap metal dealers.

“Now that the value of the scrap is higher, it’s become a lucrative business,” said Lambton OPP Const. John Reurink.

Police have investigated reports of thefts involving large spools of Hydro One wiring, as well as electrical supplies from Greenfield Energy in St. Clair Township, Reurink said.

In September, thieves made off with thousands of dollars in aluminum irrigation pipe from a Lambton Shores farm, with the likely scenario seeing it cashed in for its scrap metal value.

While police investigators work with area scrap metal dealers to uncover suspect loads, officers can’t contact every scrap yard located within the Sarnia-London-Windsor corridor, Reurink said.

In London recently a pair of thieves risked their lives trying to cut live wires carrying 13,000 volts of electricity from utility poles.

Police nabbed the two suspects after seeing them fleeing on bicycles.

Prices for base metals have soared in recent years, a result of a strong domestic economy and soaring demand in rapidly-growing economies such as India and China.

Thieves have been known to strip live wires for copper and even go after statues and tombstone fixtures.

Copper is selling at $4 a pound, which means scrap yards will pay upward of $3.60 a pound.

Aluminum is going for $1.40 a pound, which means dealers will pay about $1 a pound.

Wayne Kummer, co-owner of London Salvage, said his company has policies to discourage or catch thieves trying to sell stolen metals or steal from his yard.

“We can usually tell if someone’s stolen it and our people are told to watch for anything new,” he said.

“We don’t let anyone in our yard unless they have a vehicle and we record the licence plate and make of vehicle.”

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