Slashdot Mirror
Copper Thieves Jeopardize US Infrastructure
coondoggie supplies an excerpt from Network World that might make you consider a lock for your pipes: "The FBI today ratcheted up the clamor to do something more substantive about the monumental growth of copper theft in the US. In a report issued today the FBI said the rising theft of the metal is threatening the critical infrastructure by targeting electrical substations, cellular towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites, and vacant homes for lucrative profits. Copper thefts from these targets have increased since 2006; and they are currently disrupting the flow of electricity, telecommunications, transportation, water supply, heating, and security and emergency services, and present a risk to both public safety and national security." (A July, 2006 post on Ethan Zuckerman's blog gives an idea of how widespread cable theft has affected internet infrastructure, and basketmaking, in Africa.)
The fucked up political-economic system gives them a motive. Everything else is inevitable from that point.
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
Maybe it's time to consider copper theft an act of terrorism?
At least in the cases when infrastructure is threatened.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
Some people consider copper a cheep metal.. I mean hea, our pennies are made of it right? Would you leave silver pipes laying around?
It's not the government job to track all the copper, or silver, or gold, or cars, or anything else someone may steal and it's primarily YOUR job to protect your OWN property by locking it up.. and honestly.. this is really the only way, if anyone out there does not believe me.. stop locking up your car in that bad part of town and see how long it takes to get stolen.. then see how "concerned" the police are about getting it back.
Bringing liberty to the masses. - http://freetalklive.com/