[Milsurplus] On Theft

[Michael Howell]

I recently had a string of thefts at my home, office and shop of various surplus items.  Most contained copper, so we suspected people were stealing for scape metal value.  A local meth head was suspected and when he was caught red handed with someone else's stuff the thefts stopped.  Most of it was unusual enough that the scrap dealers should have reported it but they didn't and law enforcement only issued a warning to them for not following a new law to cut down of the scrapping of stolen property.

I post because, while mine was obviously being scrapped, meth heads get tunnel vision when they are high.  One may have been looking for something they could sell for scrap and saw something in the boxes or thought "electronic parts" = copper and just overlooked everything else.

As to the morality of what is owed to the people who donated the parts to you, I wouldn't worry about it.  You asked with the best of intention and you cannot help that this happened to prevent you from doing it.  Besides, if they thought too much of the donated parts they wouldn't have given them to you for free :).