28-07-16, 01:45 AM
In California, USA, copper has been a hot commodity for thieves for a while. These guys (and maybe ladies too... I don't want to be accused of singling out males) were stealing copper from: poles for street lights (YES, with "live" electricity running through it), air conditioning units of vacant homes and vacant buildings, copper wiring from new construction from vacant homes from vacant buildings. Any structure that was vacant was prime for being hit and stripped of anything copper inside. The sad thing is that recyclers would recycle it with no questions asked on how some transient/homeless/bum could have so much. Copper theft was a major problem for a while in our city (I work at the Police Department of my city). Idiots.