GD thieves!

[Mike D.]

I just got a call from a farming friend who observed a white PU parked on a levee near one of our pumps. He attempted to confront them and they took off through the orchard down a non-road row. I'm sure that there are damaged trees as well as to their truck. The SO is involved at this point and a search is being conducted for the truck. They removed copper wiring from the pump, possibly rending it useless. My BIL is the ranch manager and he is surveying the situation. I'm still suffering from a debilitating bout with pneumonia, so won't be going out to that ranch to have a look. Just sitting around waiting for the darned phone to ring.

[Hobie]

That is the big thing in FL, to rip the copper out of the irrigation systems. They should apply the castle doctrine and eliminate such people.

[J Miller]

Mike,

I hope two things:

A; the sheriff catches 'em with the wire and jails them.

B; the damage to the truck far exceeds any copper value they might get if the sell it.

Thieves are the scum of the earth.

Joe

[Dave B]

Mike D,
I am sorry to hear of the situation. I hope the damage caused by the thiefs isn't to great and that they are caught.
I hope you feel better soon.

Dave B.

[gamekeeper]

The price of scrap metal over here has caused a lot more crimes like that.

[.45colt]

It's the same here Mike,last fall before My sister lost Her store the meat coolers were warm one morning.crooks climbed up on the roof and stole all the copper running to the refer units. they are also doing a great job breaking into all the empty forclosed homes stealing all the copper. I might add also that unemployment here is 15% and it wont change anytime in the future. .

[Mike D.]

This region, with it's many access roads, and sometimes easy escape routes, has suffered rampant theft from pump motors and control wiring. It's only a matter of time before one of them is electrocuted in the process. Many are meth addicts whose need for more drugs drives their every move.

Several years ago, when I was employed, the company was suffering the theft of large diameter copper transmission conductors from a line that was out of service. In an attempt to put a halt to this practice I sent a crew out to dead end the wires on a tower and we then energized the line at 12KV. There were plenty of HV signs and placards placed at various easily accessed points. One morning, three days later, a body was found on the local bike trail the parallels the river and passes beneath the line. The idiot's bolt cutters were fused to the line above, so he was DOA long before he crashed 65' to the ground. He won't do that again. The entire circuit, including all structures, was removed under contract last year. Most other idle and out of service transmission lines have been energized at distribution voltages and the theft problem successfully diminished.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

That is the big thing in FL, to rip the copper out of the irrigation systems. They should apply the castle doctrine and eliminate such people.

The biggest thing I've seen is them tearing out condensing units (the outdoor part of the air-conditioner) to get the copper tubing. A lot of businesses have built chain link fence cages around their outdoor condensing units to help prevent this.

[AJMD429]

I hope two things:
A; the sheriff catches 'em with the wire and jails them.
B; the damage to the truck far exceeds any copper value they might get if the sell it.

Around here, the lawyers would sue the land owner for having a hazard, if it damaged the truck, even while fleeing the scene of their theft. A kid (lawyer's son, it happened) fell into a large color-television he was stealing, when he tripped on the balcony somehow, and since the lady he was stealing it from was very wealthy, even though he and two other kids were witnessed breaking into her home, SHE got sued for thousands of dollars in (probably fake or exaggerated) medical bills, plus 'pain and suffering' he endured...

Most other idle and out of service transmission lines have been energized at distribution voltages and the theft problem successfully diminished.

Hobie, can we add a "snicker" smilie...?

[mikld]

I worked for the power company in L. A. and if it weren't welded down, it would be gone. Vacant houses were hit regulatily. With the price of metals today, stealing copper is pretty lucrative.

My Pastor's wife went on a trip to South Africa and was out of touch for three days. They (Pastor and wife) kept in touch via texting on their cell phones, cheaper and easier than talking. Seems someone had stolen a Cell Tower and cut it up for scrap, leaving phone service dead in quite a large area.

[Mike D.]

Oddly enough, or maybe not so odd, but I had zero sympathy when viewing the deceased thief. I did not hear any more about it, so it can be assumed that he had no family. There were no lawyer induced suits, nothing. My plugging the line onto a lower voltage circuit and protecting it with a 3 Amp fuse certainly was a factor in the expiration of the miscreant. BTW, the fuse did it's job and blew when he grounded himself by reaching out with the bolt cutters and making contact with the wire. I would add the grin, but it would be inappropiate.

[jeepnik]

One big thing to steal out this way, a few years back, was anti-backflow devices. The refinery I worked at had two stolen. The first time they just cut the copper pipes and took off with it. They put a cage around the replacement, so the thieves just hooked a chain around the whole thing and drove off. Then they relocated "inside" the fence.

You might notice that pretty much all fire hydrants now have plastic caps. They were brass back when I was a fireman. But, the thieves discoverd they ere brass, and stole them by the thousands.

Sad thing is, the metals recycling places knew all this stuff was stolen, and couldn't care less. They've changed the law out here, and if a recycling outfit is caught with stolen stuff, they are supposed to be prosecuted. Like there is anyone actually checking.

My neighbors were having there place remodeled, as since no one was living in the house, three local kids decided they'd just see what they could steal. They hit the place twice and got away with it. Third time, they ran into a couple of us that were keeping an eye on the place. Punishment, probation and community service. And folks wonder why there doesn't seem to be so much recitivisim.

[2571]

Asshats put a catalog buisiness out of business by stealing copper phone lines here. 10 people lost their jobs. Took phone company a week to repair damage & thieves a few hours to rip new wire down. 3 thefts in 3 weeks.

[damienph]

Oddly enough, or maybe not so odd, but I had zero sympathy when viewing the deceased thief. I did not hear any more about it, so it can be assumed that he had no family. There were no lawyer induced suits, nothing. My plugging the line onto a lower voltage circuit and protecting it with a 3 Amp fuse certainly was a factor in the expiration of the miscreant. BTW, the fuse did it's job and blew when he grounded himself by reaching out with the bolt cutters and making contact with the wire. I would add the grin, but it would be inappropiate.

Mike,

We had somebody cut one of our substation (34.5/12.5kV) fences and cut all of the ground copper off of the substation steel, power transformer and voltage regulators. We suspect that whoever did it must have had some line experience (and a pair of rubber gloves) because he/they didn't attempt to cut any hot jumpers. Without gloves that ungrounded transformer tank sure would have given them a buzz!

We also get quite a few distribution pole grounds cut at the ground line and pulled off with a vehicle, usually breaking away at the neutral; one of these days they'll yank down a weak pole onto their truck.

I also have absolutely no sympathy for theives.

[Blaine]

One of the very few things I approve of in Islam is their traditional treatment of theft

[Mike D.]

Some of our circuits are grounded 21KV and if you cut the wrong ground, especially a common neutral, you could be in a serious world of hurt. The city has no ungrounded circuits and everything is tied together through the common. Both the high and low side of transformer banks share a common ground, another potentially bad situation for would be copper thieves. One of these days on or two will be found with smoking nostrils and burned off hands. YAY!!!!

[rimrock]

Finally, about 7-8 years ago Texas Supreme Court put an end to most of these frivolous lawsuits by saying that the BG who got bit in the south end by the home owners dog while trying to rob a house was a trespasser who caused his own misery.

for any amount of any kind of metal scrap you sell, you have provide your TDL and plate #. seems to have helped some also.

rimrock

[jeepnik]

A couple of years back, one of my customers required that all contractors have "Arc/Flash" training. Part of it reminded me of the old "Blood on the Highway" method of teaching by showing the results of attempts to steal copper wiring.

[damienph]

One of the very few things I approve of in Islam is their traditional treatment of theft

You bet! An eye for an eye; or a hand as the case may be.

[Mike D.]

Here's the rest of the story. My SIL who is a Deputy was called and came right down. Understanding that the nearest recycler is in Lodi he went there first and caught the derelicts in the act of selling the copper. BUSTED!!! The recycler may be in a bit of trouble, too. Knowingly purchasing stolen metal assigns him the same culpability. As it turned out, the 28 yr old man is a local resident who has very likely done this before. The case will roll out in the coming months, so we'll see if the correct punishment will be meted out to him.

The damage to the pump is estimated at $7500, but the damage to trees in the pear orchard have yet to be surveyed. Fast work by the SO. Less than 6 hours to bust "Tweaker Boy".

[damienph]

Great!! Our pole yard was broken into three times before our local PD caught them; turned out it was a guy who used to work for a company that bought scrap metals from us. He was sentenced to 7 years plus restitution. The county attorney told us not to expect any restitution, ever.

[Malamute]

Mike, I wonder if you could make a claim against or sue his car insurance company for the damage his vehicle caused? Assuming he has insurance.

[Hagler]

Mike,

Does your State/ county/ city have any laws regarding interferance with the food supply? If so, then your thief may have those consequences to deal with, too.

Shawn

[mklwhite]

Heck, a while back copper thieves cut phone lines that were in service on the dang poles north of here. This is ridiculous.

[RIHMFIRE]

If they insist on stealing your copper....let them have some lead as well...

This is a huge problem here in florida...Rimefire mentioned the AC units...
But they also break into job sites and steal all the copper they can. plumbing and electrical.
Salvage companies must now make copies of their drivers license in order to take in the
salvage and put into a network for the cops...
One of the counties prosecuters or counselmen had his ac unit stolen....
which helped get the new law in...
Alot of the crooks are illegals...they work in the ferneries and construction during the day
and have a second career at night...
Cattle rustling is also a problem....

[Noah Zark]

. . . so we'll see if the correct punishment will be meted out to him.

Guy wants copper wire so bad, someone should oblige him with some wire attached to alligator clips . . .

Salvage companies must now make copies of their drivers license in order to take in the
salvage and put into a network for the cops...

That's been standard practice here in PA for a year or two. It's cut down on the theft, and the number of scrap pickers, too.

Noah

[Beaker]

If they insist on stealing your copper....let them have some lead as well...

Thats why I love this site, such good Christian principles.

[m.wun]

Hey mike, I dont know if you folks have windmachines on youre farms but I was in that bis.
in the 90's.Growers in so. and cen. Cal get wiring,motors,engine and engine parts stolen all
the time.They like to take batteries and gasoline too.Going with propane fixed the fuel problem
and one grower I know painted"Diesel Fuel Only" on the side of the engine hood even though
it runs on propane had a sudden slowdown in theft.Another grower caught someone stealing
out of his grove and pursued him.He caught up to the person by T-Boning the vehicle,then
was sued by the teens parents.The kid wasnt hurt and it cost him some money but he said it was worth it because all the locals found out what would happened when you messed around
in his place.Stealing food or poaching for hunger might get someone some pity but taking from
someones livleyhood or property doesnt get it.......

[kimwcook]

Wire theft and scrap metal is a serious problem around here. Irrigation circles getting their control wires ripped off for a few hundred dollars worth of scrap. It costs the farmer thousands to replace. We've had a few "grounded", but not enough. I hate thieves. One of the reasons I do what I do. Plus, bad guys just plain need to go to jail and pay for their crimes. Dope, usually meth, seems to always be the common denominator.