Metal Prices Go Up, Powerline Wires Go Down
April 12, 2008
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According to the police spokesman London police issued a warning after two men were seen trying to cut live wires carrying 13,000 volts, reports The Sun.
“This could have easily killed or seriously injured anyone that touched the exposed wire,” said Constable Amy Phillipo.
Base metal prices have jumped in last couple of years. The new prices gave the thieves the motiv to strip live wires for copper. Some of them were caught stealing statues and tombstone fixtures.
“Copper and aluminum prices are now at all time highs,” said Wayne Kummer, co-owner of London Salvage on Egerton Street.
Business news reports say that copper is about $4 a pound, but you can get as much as $3.60 at scrap yards. Also aluminum is going for $1.40 a pound. Dealers will pay about $1 a pound.
Kummer’s company has policies to discourage or catch thieves trying to sell stolen metals or steal from his yard.
“We can usually tell if someone’s stolen it and our people are told to watch for anything new. We don’t let anyone in our yard unless they have a vehicle and we record the licence plate and make of vehicle.” said Kummer to The Sun.
“Stealing copper from an energized electric grid is extremely dangerous, putting the lives of the public, employees and the suspects themselves at serious risk of injury or death from electrocution,” said Constable Amy Phillipo in her interview for the local news.
“Systems can fail, resulting in blackouts or power surges and can result in homes catching on fire.”
According to Constable Phillipo “there has been significant increase in the theft of copper and aluminum in the past year.”
“In many cases the suspects are breaking into secured compounds, cutting live wires and selling the copper for cash,” she said.
News reports say that the men (William Grigg, 50, and Wade Boudreau, 32) who tried to cut the wires on Friday were caught, when tried to escape on bicycles, and are charged with possession of stolen property, mischief endangering life and possession of break-in tools.
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