Combating copper thieves; serial # on wire. . .

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brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
TDWorld.com said:
Theft of copper cable is an epidemic across the country and the world. As global demand for copper increases, and the price thieves receive for recycled metal rises, the problem continues to escalate. In an effort to help customers reduce copper theft and increase the rate of apprehension and prosecution of copper thieves, Southwire has been working diligently on a solution.

Proof Positive Copper with TraceID Technology features a copper conductor that is laser etched with unique serial codes and a Web site URL on each foot of conductor . . . . .

Link to Article @ tdworld.com,

Interesting!
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
ConEd has used a similar method for years. If you remove the center strand on larger conductors it contains lettering, something like "Property of Consolidated Edison". No getting around that when you bring it to the scrap yard.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
Last Saturday morning around 6:00am my power went out for about 5 min. Around 8:00 my wife and I were going out to breakfast when we passed a sub station about a mile from our house. There were sheriffs deputies and poco trucks at the sub station. I told my wife I bet some one was in there stealing copper. Sure enough that night on the news " Man killed while stealing copper wire from a sub station". The guy had climbed up about 10 ft on a steel platform that holds 3 LARGE transformers and attempted to cut the feed wire coming from the main distribution line to the transformer. It's a shame to leave a legacy of "I was an idiot"
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Last Saturday morning around 6:00am my power went out for about 5 min. Around 8:00 my wife and I were going out to breakfast when we passed a sub station about a mile from our house. There were sheriffs deputies and poco trucks at the sub station. I told my wife I bet some one was in there stealing copper. Sure enough that night on the news " Man killed while stealing copper wire from a sub station". The guy had climbed up about 10 ft on a steel platform that holds 3 LARGE transformers and attempted to cut the feed wire coming from the main distribution line to the transformer. It's a shame to leave a legacy of "I was an idiot"

Darwin at work:D
 

djohns6

Senior Member
Location
Louisiana
The copper thieves are killing us right now . We have had 5 substations hit in the last 6 weeks . The idiots are even cutting the XO lead on the transformer . We keep wondering when somebody is going to go into a sub. and find a " crispy critter " .
 

sii

Senior Member
Location
Nebraska
A few years ago in Omaha, NE I heard a story on the radio that workers had found a 300K volt substation line cut and a pair of melted bolt cutters nearby. Reporter said police were checking local hospital burn units in hopes of finding the culprit.

Supply house guy also told me of a contractor customer of his who found guys with stolen uniforms stealing wire from the floor below them while they were wiring a new apartment building.

Both of those were several years ago, I don't hear much about this around here anymore. Isn't the price of scrap copper way down from what it was a few years ago?
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
.......... We keep wondering when somebody is going to go into a sub. and find a " crispy critter " .

I could post pix of several 'crispy critters', but I'm sure the mods would delete them. :cool:

The purpose of those would be what? He did not ask for any, so I guess it is for shock value.

You are right they would be deleted.

If anyone wants to see Ken's pictures I am sure he would respond to PMs?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Doesn't help if they melt it down...

True, but the scrap yards are on notice that if they get caught with some illegal scrap they could be in trouble. Makes then think twice before accepting some stolen wire and also proves that it was stolen.
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
True, but the scrap yards are on notice that if they get caught with some illegal scrap they could be in trouble. Makes then think twice before accepting some stolen wire and also proves that it was stolen.

The scrap yard I sell my scrap to has become very proactive in slowing down thieves bringing in stolen copper. When you take the scrap to the copper shed you must show your divers license, your name and address is put into the computer along with the weight. Then you go to the cash office where you show your id again and they take you photo. If the amount owed is over $100.00 they pay by check only. They also have stopped taking any type coil that is from a A/C unit or air handler.
I know that these steps are to help cover them but if the thieves do not have a place to sell the scrap it may help slow them down some.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
The scrap yard I sell my scrap to has become very proactive in slowing down thieves bringing in stolen copper. When you take the scrap to the copper shed you must show your divers license, your name and address is put into the computer along with the weight. Then you go to the cash office where you show your id again and they take you photo. If the amount owed is over $100.00 they pay by check only. They also have stopped taking any type coil that is from a A/C unit or air handler.
I know that these steps are to help cover them but if the thieves do not have a place to sell the scrap it may help slow them down some.

Some places will mail you the check. That way, you'll need to give a valid address if you want paid.
 
The scrap yard I sell my scrap to has become very proactive in slowing down thieves bringing in stolen copper. When you take the scrap to the copper shed you must show your divers license, your name and address is put into the computer along with the weight. Then you go to the cash office where you show your id again and they take you photo. If the amount owed is over $100.00 they pay by check only. They also have stopped taking any type coil that is from a A/C unit or air handler.
I know that these steps are to help cover them but if the thieves do not have a place to sell the scrap it may help slow them down some.
Great... so now we can't recycle A/C coils...
 

mxslick

Senior Member
Location
SE Idaho
I could post pix of several 'crispy critters', but I'm sure the mods would delete them. :cool:

The purpose of those would be what? He did not ask for any, so I guess it is for shock value.

You are right they would be deleted.

If anyone wants to see Ken's pictures I am sure he would respond to PMs?

I have seen some of those pics and agree fully that they should not appear here....they would make anyone quite ill and are too graphic.

The people who really need to see them are the copper thieves and I doubt they read this forum anyways.

The scrap yard I sell my scrap to has become very proactive in slowing down thieves bringing in stolen copper. When you take the scrap to the copper shed you must show your divers license, your name and address is put into the computer along with the weight. Then you go to the cash office where you show your id again and they take you photo. If the amount owed is over $100.00 they pay by check only. They also have stopped taking any type coil that is from a A/C unit or air handler.
I know that these steps are to help cover them but if the thieves do not have a place to sell the scrap it may help slow them down some.

(Check out the bold)

LOL so that means a vast majority of us couldn't cash in at your scrapyard. :grin:

A great idea though, and I like the idea that 480 posted of mailing the check.

When I worked for an EC here in So Cal all scraps had to be brought back to the shop, no exceptions. The boss would eventually turn in the scrap and host a BBQ party for us. :)
 

krisinjersey

Senior Member
Scrap yards

Scrap yards

Both scrap yards here give you a barcoded keychain tag. They take all your information and ask where the scrap is coming from. It all gets reported to the state and you get a letter requesting the sales tax. Thanks New Jersey.

I have a friend who had a guy he had fired ordering feeder cuts from the supply house everyday for a week. They'd show up with the cut on a parallel spool and pick up yesterdays empty one. 5 days, 5separate cuts of parallel 500mcm with neutral and ground 350' each. On the last day the sales rep called to ask where to send some t-shirts and to thank the owner for the order without making him bid on the job. Owner asks "What wire?"! The idiot employee couldn't leave well enough alone and tries again on Monday. The supply house sends the cut with a new driver who happens to be a state trooper. The old employee gets popped, the scrap yards got some trouble and the friend of mine tightened up his PO policy real fast. For years we just called up the shop and gave the girl the info on the job and ordered our parts from the supply house. Leaves you open to a huge loss that way, and a heck of a lesson learned.
 
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