According to the latest statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks incidents of metal theft, 25,083 claims were filed from 2009 … Scrap metal rates are typically consistent and copper is one of the most common and easily accessible metals that can be stolen. However when HVAC units are hit, the cost to replace stolen or damaged building systems far exceeds the value of the lost metal itself. Between 2010-2012, there were over 32,000 incidents of copper theft. To safeguard against cable theft, Eskom has: Replaced copper conductors with aluminium. The numbers say it all. Metal theft is "the theft of items for the value of their constituent metals". Source. It’s understandable to see why copper thefts are on the rise, but a few controls in place can help to reduce incidents. The problem has plagued transport networks for years, affecting some of th… One thing is for certain: with copper prices remaining high, so will the incidents of theft. ranges between R5 and R7 Billion a year. The T shwane Metro Police Department. During this period, 33,775 insurance claims for the theft of copper, bronze, brass or aluminum were handled—32,568 of them (96 percent) for copper alone. A recent criminal intelligence report scoped out the problem and is driving new solutions. Illegal electricity connections and cable theft lead to power outages which lead to an increase in crime when properties are vulnerable. Copper theft is still on the rise, and it was only a matter of time before federal authorities recognized it as a major problem. 7007P-M IntelliNet 2.0 Burglary Subscriber from AES Corp. 4 zone supervised burglary alarm communicator with integrated LCD display, LED indicators and annunciator, PB-IN-100AT “Anticrawl” photoelectric beam from Takex, Optex QX Infinity (QXI) series PIR sensors, Available in low-mount and high-mount options, LenelS2 announces OnGuard interface with DMP Intrusion Detection Systems, New interface expands functionality, increases compliance in highly regulated markets and simplifies administration and deployment, DMP announces alarm communicator is FirstNet Ready, Communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built specifically for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. "As metal prices rise, so do the number of metal thefts. Copper theft has always been a challenge for the electricity industry, but has it plagued the North American grid at an elevated level for the last 15 years. 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In the United States, copper theft incidents have more than tripled within the last 5 years. Here's what Supercircuits' report had to say -- and then make sure you check out the full infographic on copper theft today. In Texas, up to 40% of copper thefts occurred in homes that were under construction and only 10% of theft incidents were because of a forced entry. By Mfuneko Toyana, ... according to Statistics South Africa. Utilities that supply power are subject to theft of service and theft of hardware used to provide service. With copper prices at $3.00 per pound, there is a lot of incentive to find more metal and thieves are willing to look just about anywhere for it. When a portion of signalling cable is removed, a track circuit failure occurs. Data was collected from literature sources as ", 25 Gambling Industry Statistics and Trends, 27 Animal Experimentation Statistics and Facts, Spotify SWOT Analysis for 2021: 26 Strengths and Weaknesses, Uber SWOT Analysis for 2021: 23 Major Strengths and Weaknesses, Netflix SWOT Analysis (2021): 23 Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses, Tesla SWOT Analysis (2021): 33 Biggest Strengths and Weaknesses, 14 Core Values of Amazon: Its Mission and Vision Statement, Is AliExpress Legit and Safe: 15 Tips for Buyers, How Does Zoom Make Money: Business Model Explained, A Look at Southwest Airlines Mission Statement: 10 Key Takeaways, Apple’s Mission Statement and Vision Statement Explained, How Does WhatsApp Make Money: Business Model & Revenue Explained. LME ¼ London Metal Exchange; BTP ¼ British Transport Police. Between 2010-2012, there were over 32,000 incidents of copper theft. This is despite the tendency of copper theft to follow the price of copper at the London Metal Exchange, which took a sharp dip towards the middle of August last year (2011), Hess explained. There were only 1,200 insurance claims between 2010-2012 for metals other than copper filed by individuals or organizations. The numbers say it all. Precious Metal Copper Theft Threatens U.S. Infrastructure. Copper theft statistics show that property owners suffer billions of dollars in loss and damage each year in the United States due to copper thieves. Individuals who try to steal from a power utility risk electrocution. Not every copper theft incident requires an insurance claim or a police report, which may skew the results of today’s research. Copper theft is a serious problem that jeopardizes public and employee safety and impacts electric reliability and utility finances. Copper theft is generally thought of as a victimless crime, repair personnel and the thieves themselves can be fatally injured because of the damage that copper theft poses. Time series of LME copper prices (US$ per tonne) and BTP-recorded ''live'' copper cable thefts (n ¼ 5,013), January 2006 to April 2012. One of the most effective methods of deterring copper theft is to be vigilant and watchful within neighborhoods and business sectors. If copper prices go down and another metal price goes up, then everything talked about here for copper theft will then simply apply to the new valuable metal. More than $68,000 of copper wire was stolen from a US electrical utility because a thief was able to steal multiple 1,000 pound rolls of copper wire. However, analysis from VPS Site Security of British Transport Police (BTP) data between 2016 and 2017 shows that cable theft is still occurring five times a week, causing 23,670 minutes of delays to passengers. From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors, 22 Chilean Mining Industry Statistics, Trends & Analysis, 20 Scrap Recycling Industry Statistics and Trends, 21 Electrolysis Industry Statistics and Trends, 21 Metallurgical and Mining Industry Statistics,…, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors. To prevent this, some states have implemented laws that require serial number tracking and exact records for copper recycling to happen – with steep penalties for thieves and recyclers who choose not to follow the law. This results in train services being disrupted – potentially for hours – causing a huge loss of revenue for operators. Between 2006-2008 there were a little more than 13,000 copper thefts. Although copper theft is thought of as a victimless crime, repair personnel and the thieves themselves can be fatally injured because of the damage that copper theft can cause. According to the latest statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau which tracks incidents of metal theft, 25,083 claims were filed from 2009 to … The FBI is planning a campaign against copper theft. Copper Thefts Solved With Help From Online Database. Of these, 96% concerned copper theft. 12/03/08. One of the fastest growing niche industries within the security field is the specific stopping of copper theft. The theft of copper cables has cost our railways £43 million in three years – but who does it, and how? It's based on a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Copper Theft. Over $319 billion in insurance premiums were written in 2011 with about 80% of them designed to help provide protection against copper theft. Home » Statistics » 21 Extraordinary Copper Theft Statistics. It usually increases when worldwide prices for scrap metal rise, as has happened dramatically due to rapid industrialization in India and China.Apart from precious metals like gold and silver, the metals most commonly stolen are non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminium, brass, and bronze. 55% of the claims on copper theft were on commercial policies. Giving copper theft its own crime code at the SAPS:At present, the SAPS crime database records copper theft in the category "other crimes". The NICB report reviews over 25,000 claims for the theft of copper, bronze, brass, or aluminum that were submitted to ISO ClaimSearch from 2009 to 2011. The amount of copper that is successfully stolen and redeemed exceeds $1 billion annually. Crime in mining operations is mainly characterised by theft of product in refinery to final product stages, hi-jacking style product in-transit theft, explosives theft, copper bearing commodity theft such as cable theft, diesel, material theft from stores, tools and equipment and various smaller but valuable item theft. It is in wire, part of a plumbing system, and can even be part of a home’s trim. According to the latest statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks incidents of metal theft, 25,083 claims were filed from 2009 to … Metal thefts by police force area. Comparing these prices to copper priced under $1/lb ($2.21/kg) less tha… Make sure you have the right security measures in place for your next project to be on the other side of these statistics. Between 2006-2008, there were a little more than 13,000 reported incidents of copper theft. Between 2006-2008, there were a little more than 13,000 reported incidents of copper theft. That’s what the copper thief is going to look at and that’s why community watch programs can be so effective. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng Harsh penalties for copper theft 7 people were able to take copper from power utility substations in Ohio and sell it for $15,000 before being caught. The NICB report reviews over 25,000 claims for the theft of copper, bronze, brass, or aluminum that were submitted to ISO ClaimSearch from 2009 to 2011. But between 2010-2012, according to statistics there were over 32,000 incidents of copper theft. Theft is typically high, with thousands of miles of trackside copper cabling to steal from that is generally far away from densely populated areas and cannot easily be monitored. 2. Police patrols to scrap yards have increased 75% specifically because of the increase in copper theft instances. The following are among the findings: Copper has gone from a high of $4/lb ($8.82/kg) in mid-2008 to a low of $1.45/lb ($3.20/kg) in January 2009, and then back up to $4.00/lb ($8.82/kg) in November 2010. Ohio ranks first amongst all states who have insurance claims for stolen metal, having 600 more than the next state on the list. Copper theft incidents have tripled within the last five years in the United States. Copper theft alone is enough of an issue that more than 20 states have passed legislation to regulate its sale to recycling centers. The illegal connections of electricity can lead to household fires and accidental death by electrocution. With copper prices at $3.00 per pound, there is a lot of incentive to find more metal and thieves are willing to look just about anywhere for it. This dissertation focuses on the phenomenon of copper cable theft within the Gauteng Province of South Africa. 5. Copper wire that was stolen from a substation in Kansas caused more than $150,000 in damages and knocked out power for some time to the city. "Since August 2009, metal thefts have steadily increased across the nation, driven by rising prices for base metals… especially copper. To explore and to describe the extent and the impact of copper cable theft. All rights reserved. The recent rise in copper prices has made solid-copper pole grounds a valuable target for thieves. Utility copper wire theft, as a portion of all copper theft, is also shown in Figure 2. Until metal prices drop, copper theft incidents will still continue to be high. As a result, copper metal thefts (and other metals) have impacted the City of Calgary and the Province of Alberta at an astonishing rate. Stealing wire and cable is not a new occurrence; however, the rising copper prices have given thieves more financial incentive for the same amount of risk just a few years ago. Likely, this phenomenon is further evidence that measures to reduce the thefts at electric utilities are having a positive impact. This, combined with plummeting prices for copper at the time, led many to believe that the end was near for cable theft crime. Thieves are willing to go to almost any length to steal metal, stripping sheets of metal from building rooftops, stealing memorial decorations from cemeteries, ripping apart air conditioners for their copper coils, and stripping homes and buildings of wiring and piping. Although it won’t be enough to make a financial difference for you, now multiply what you have by all of the homes in the neighborhood or community. Many of the power lines that are strung above the ground have copper cable within them, which causes thieves to climb up the pole and potentially cause themselves a fatal injury. This paper aims to provide copper theft prevention best iv ABSTRACT This dissertation focuses on the phenomenon of copper cable theft within the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Thieves are brazen, however, so today you have to protect everything inside and outside of your home – even your home’s generator, even if it is turned on. Since 2009, metal thefts have consistently increased in the US on a year-by-year basis. Detectives have closed hundreds of cases with information from the LeadsOnline Metal Theft Investigative System. This is an acceleration of a decade-long trend. We conducted a retrospective study of all individuals examined by the Jefferson County Coroner Medical Examiner Office from … For every substation that has copper wire removed from it, the minimum repair cost in the US is $3,000 and that doesn’t account for losses that occur because of power losses to individual customers. 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