Home » Five States Enact Copper Theft Laws

Five States Enact Copper Theft Laws

Posted by Amy Hite on May 2, 2012

Copper theft has always been an issue, but never as much as it has been in the past few years. Not only have incidences of copper theft been popping up more and more, but they have been occurring in higher volumes. No business or household, no matter how large or small, is protected from the threats of copper theft.

Most recently, governors in five states have signed copper theft laws. Georgia has been hit especially hard with copper thefts. Last year alone, the state had a record number of 143 copper theft incidences, and this year, it has already had 29. Each incident is estimated to cost between $3,000 and $5,000 in damage, and some instances slide by without even being officially reported.

The law passed in Georgia prevents cash payments, requires registration of recyclers, and instituted maintenance of a statewide database. All these measures were put into place to curtail crimes. Tom Parker, vice president of external affairs and member relations at Georgia Transmission Corp., is certain they will work. Scrap dealers in West Virginia should heed caution when dealing with properties marked as being owned by a telephone, cable, electric, water or other utility provider. Kentucky, Iowa and Washington State have all implemented similar pieces of legislature.

For those in states without legislation, or even for those in legislative-protected states who are looking for a bit of extra protection, Stealth Monitoring has experience in preventing copper theft. Stealth Monitoring realizes that copper theft is a serious problem and millions of commercial properties are at risk of thousands of dollar of property damage.

According to sources, approximately $1 billion per year in copper wire thefts plague this country, and preventative measures must be taken. Stealth Monitoring customizes live video monitoring systems to monitor your property/business for a variety of problems: theft, vandalism, suspicious activity and yes, even copper theft. In addition to recording everything that is occurring using DVR technology, the video cameras used by Stealth Monitoring are proactively being watched by trained professionals for a fraction of the cost of security guards. Stealth’s proactive monitoring service is very advanced unlike traditional burglar alarm central stations waiting for an alarm or trigger. Stealth can activate speakers, lights, gates, and other electronic devices to deter trespassers. Stealth also works closely with Police Departments to catch criminals in the act. In today’s economy, the proactive approach is the best to take. So be proactive and call Stealth Monitoring today!