What's that copper worth?

Gordy

In my town we had the welding lead bandit. 4 of us who work for 3 different companies had our welding leads stolen off our trucks. Myself once, coworker once. One iron worker twice the other iron worker 3 times. The iron worker with the three times caught them on the third attempt. They were aprehended. 6 times 1000.00 for new replacement leads is not chump change.

The junk yards don't care where the stuff comes from. Its money in their pocket.

New housing stripped of copper components.


Gordy

Larry (from OSHA)

This is getting old

This is going on with all too much frequency. For a few bucks for scrap metal, whole buildings are being blown up. One of these days, someone is going to be killed.

http://www.startribune.com/29169229.html

Larry

Jeff Lawrence_25

Local Plumbers

will spray paint copper ( where they still use it ) in the new houses.

One morning, the builder came in and found the copper gone. He called the plumber, who's office started calling the local scrap yards.

"Yes, someone just brought in some copper with pink and purple spray paint on it. He's still here."

The plumbing company called the local cops who went directly to the scrap yard. The perp was lead away wearing a new set of matching bracelets.

This isn't always the way, but the person that told me the story said 2 or 3 people in line left as soon as the cops handcuffed the other guy.

Brad White_198

My local scrap yard/metals dealer

in a "tough neighborhood" to put it mildly, insists on displaying a driver's license and has a "favored sellers" list of known repute.

He also holds the material for 24 hours before sending it along, a financial risk for him due to market fluctuations plus risk of theft.

He asks questions, "where did you get this?" and you sign a form. He even photographs his sellers with the stuff on occasion. I agree with what he says, "Theft is theft, hurts us all. I want to be no part of that chain."

The cops love this and given his neighborhood, the extra eye out cannot hurt.

But this is why I do business with him.

I loved the ID spray paint idea.