Copper theft incidents have tripled within the last five years in the United States. Between 2006-2008 there were a little more than 13,000 copper thefts. But between 2010-2012, according to statistics there were over 32,000 incidents of copper theft.
With copper prices at over $2.00 per pound there is a lot of incentive for more copper theft incidents to find more metal. Thieves are willing to look just about anywhere. The amount of copper that is successfully stolen and redeemed exceeds $1 billion annually. Ohio ranks first amongst all states who have insurance claims for stolen metal. The New York-New Jersey area is the metropolitan area that reports the most metal theft claims.
Not every copper theft incident requires an insurance claim or police report, which may skew the results of this research. Copper theft incidents threaten the very infrastructure of a company because the invention and implementation of the power grid is based on copper wire. Many of the power lines that are strung above the ground have copper cable within them. This gives thieves an opportunity of climbing up poles and potentially causing themselves a fatal injury. Some states have implemented laws that require serial number tracking and exact records for copper recycling. There are steep penalties for thieves and recyclers who choose not to follow the law.
As wireless networks continue to grow and mobile network carriers are faced with ongoing challenges, such as copper theft incidents, capabilities to manage the growing number of sites efficiently and securely are in high demand.
In 2015 copper theft incidents from cellular towers filled news headlines. RCR Wireless reported on a cell tower crime in Peterson, New Jersey, where three men were charged with 80 counts of burglary, theft and criminal mischief in connection to 15 cell tower equipment thefts. This caused every major carrier to be negatively impacted resulting in more than $125,000 in damages.
Stealth Monitoring proactive live surveillance can detect and deter crime in locations across in the U.S. for greater security. When Stealth operators see unusual activity like copper theft thieves on top of roof tops, behind office buildings, and alleys they can activate an audible warning to deter the thieves and call the local police.
For information on how we can protect your property or business from copper theft incidents, please contact us. Visit our web site and see actual videos of criminals being apprehended.
