[TheForge] Price of Copper

[xlch58 at swbell.net]

My brother ran a local YMCA for many years.   On many occasions they 
stole the aluminum bleacher seats.   He like to recount one time where 
the police officer, trying to be helpful said "You know, I bet if you 
were to call a lot of local scrap yards and ask around you could 
probably find your missing bleachers and buy them back cheaper than new 
ones...."    Nowadays for theft you are on your own and the criminal 
element knows it.   Our evening news recruits new copper thieves nightly 
by pointing out the profit potential, the techniques and the fact that 
no one ever gets caught.  On alternate nights, the local news runs 
education segments where they teach you how to break into homes with a 
bump key set, and then tell you where to buy them.  At least eBay caught 
on and started finally pulling them.  

Charles

ries wrote:
> This seems to be a case of local law enforcement will power.
> Some parts of the country still have Barney Fife, it seems.
> Here in go-go washington state, that stuff would never fly.
> I had a call a while ago from my waterjet cutter- he had a bunch of my 
> stock, stainless that I owned, out in his parking lot, and one day 
> some was gone.
> Next day, they get a call from the local recycler, saying, some guy 
> tried to sell us something we think is yours.
> Sheriff was down at the recycler next day, and the guy got arrrested.
> They kept my slab of stainless for a few months for evidence, and then 
> I got it back.
> No further thefts from the waterjet guy.
>
> If the cops want to arrest these guys, they do.
> Lazy cop- No doughnut.
>
> ries