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AT&T Goes After Copper Wire Thieves
coondoggie writes "Copper thieves targeting Atlanta are now being targeted themselves by AT&T, which is offering $3,000 for information leading to their arrest. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that in one recent three-day stretch, nearly 7,000 customers and two schools lost land line phone service. The FBI has said in the past that the rising theft of the metal is threatening critical infrastructure by targeting electrical substations, cellular towers, telephone land lines, railroads, water wells, construction sites, and vacant homes for lucrative profits."
Couldn't resist eh?
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
Copper conducts electricity a hell of a lot better than fiber optic though. Not that that's stopped some people:
Couple electrocuted while stealing copper wire
Graphic photos too
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
i usually pick up the biggest spool i can a few times and turn it over, then leave then come back and do it a few times just to watch them dance and attempt to continue their charade.
copper is more lucrative than gold in leveraging society. it is required in abundance.
Looks like these guys are stopping people from...
*puts on sunglasses*
...conducting business.
I think the problem of people trying to steal powerline cables is one that takes care of itself fairly quickly.
At work we've had people destroy fiber thinking they were stealing copper. The aftermath is much more expensive than repairing copper.
Here in South Africa copper wire has been a country wide problem, some areas being hit time and again 1 week after the lines have been restored.
I definitely agree that fiber is the way to go, especially once you've replaced the same line more than 6 times....
Problem is that they go after the electricity cables too, and those can't be replaced with fiber.
Occasionally they end up self fried, but it doesn't seem to be a long term deterrent.
RTFM is not a radio station.
One of the reasons newer A/C condensers have signs like "NO COPPER INSIDE" is exactly because of this.
The reason for this happening? Copper is in areas that have no guards, alarms, curious onlookers. Then it is just one insulation-burning step away from a recycler and cash per pound.
The only real solution is to start forcing recyclers to have a chain of custody, similar to what pawnshops have when someone tries to sell/pawn something. No "well, I got this copper from an old remodel I just did" BS which serves now. Require a valid ID for sale with valid contact info. Some recyclers do their homework with this, but there are always others who don't.
I'd have to guess paying an annual fee, and having to go "on record" would deter some of the average thieves?
I'm generally against any extra govt. intervention, rules or licensing...but this actually seems like it might server an appropriate function. I mean, the do monitor pawn shops, why not have some type of system that is somewhat analogous to what they do to pawn shops to help prevent stolen goods from being fenced through them.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
You'd think so - wouldn't you?
Much like the problem of people killing each other should eventually result in less people willing to fight left - yes somehow that problem seems to persist throughout the ages.
Theivery is another problem thats lasted the test of time - and even the most strict punishment awarded (death) hasn't been shown to deter this kind of activity.
It just goes to show how illogical we as human beings are - and why "obvious solutions" never quite work as well as you'd think they would.
So what we just need to do is put more into infrastructure, remove all copper and replace with fiber optic..Voila no more copper thefts!
That will raise fiber prices, inspiring fiber theft.
What we need is a bunch of hidden cameras watching key infrastructure at crucial points.
Harsh punishment for even attempting to remove installed wiring / conduit in attempt to steal metal.
And traps / "bait", in the form of putting some wiring in very visible places that _looks_ like easy pickings, but is heavily guarded
Death is not the most strict punishment ever awarded for theft, and it seemed to work pretty well. Vlad Tepes Dracula was a hero to his people for being tough on crime.
Yes, but those are phone wires, not power distribution wires. (The difference lies in both the voltage and the current.) All telcos not already done are in the process of replacing as much copper as possible with fiber, starting with the biggest markets and working their way down. A fiber cut is a PITA to repair but it's many times easier than splicing a fat bundle of pairs of copper.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Like stealing statues, then selling them at one thousandth of their value as scrap metal: here
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
All you do is what they do at the pawn shop, take your ID information. Anyone worried about copper theft should be having the insulation custom-printed. Sorry, but there it is. Of course, once it's been burned off, you're not going to know jack without some very expensive metallurgical work.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I can definitely see why someone would put their life at risk by snitching on criminals, for that kind of reward. They could live like a king!
That's even more than I could get for finding that lost dog!
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Phone cables can be replaced, and a lot of people make good money doing it so it actually helps some who are not criminals. I'm just sayin'...
This reminds me of the parable of the broken window.
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
My state already requires the scrap yard to take a photo id when they buy scrap.
So no need to create a big new government apparatus to oversee such sales, just increase the fines on yards that make mistakes (which helps deter them from making "mistakes").
Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
Yes. And please remind him that he should be including this income on his 1040. :)
I have a new-ish house where there wasn't originally a phone line. I added AT&T service about a month ago and they have yet to bury it. It seems like they're not too serious about this issue.
Maybe I'm being a fool here but... they wouldn't steal copper if there weren't corrupt metal buyers out there. I mean, why the heck would a scrap yard accept X feet of copper wire if he shows up in his pickup? For all the press on this issue (and there's a lot of it here in Detroit), there's never any real discussion of fining or doing ANYTHING to discourage the metal buyers from accepting obviously stolen materials. Until such steps are taken (i.e. real penalties for accepting stolen cable, pipes, etc), then any licensing isn't going to much help, is it?
Once they bust this copper theft ring the papers will proclaim:
"Coppers put Stopper on Copper Choppers"
Of course ne'er-do-wells have resorted to stealing copper wire, ever since The Man made melting down pennies a federal crime. US pennies and nickels are technically worth more as metal than their face value. (I can't source it but I recall reading that before the new regulation was made a company was actually gearing up to enter the penny-melting business until the feds put the kibosh on it.)
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Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
I didn't realize that the theft of buckets and barrels was a huge issue anywhere.
Of course if you're talking about the theft of the cooper perhaps you should use kidnapping.
"Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork