Posted June 12, 200619 yr Scrap-metal prices bring spike in thefts Sunday, June 11, 2006 Olivera Perkins Plain Dealer Reporter Workers arrived at Cuyahoga Materials Co. one morning, puzzled to find empty beer cans strewn near the giant concrete crusher, the lifeline of the business on Rockefeller Avenue in Cleveland's industrial valley in the shadows of downtown. The empties would prove an ominous sign. Workers tried to start the giant, roaring machine that reduces big chunks of concrete into bits. Nothing but silence. Beer-guzzling thieves had ripped out all the copper wiring from the crusher. Full story at: http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1150014729244090.xml&coll=2
June 12, 200619 yr Here in Columbus, we've had cases of thieves literally ripping copper gutters and downspouts off of occupied homes in German Village and the Short North. Aluminum is also at an all-time high. Police in Grandview Heights recently arrested a man for stealing chain-link fencing and posts that were stored near I-670 & SR-315. There have also been cases of aluminum siding being ripped off houses and aluminum high lightpoles being stolen. People often leave aluminum extension ladders outside in their back-yards or near their garage, only to find them stolen. Police here have been alerting local scrap dealers to report anything that seems suspicious and have actually caught a few thieves this way.
June 12, 200619 yr Inspecting scrap yards is a priority for Mayor Frank Jackson, said Edward Rybka, the interim director of building and housing. Cleveland has about 140 licensed and unlicensed scrap yards, many of which haven't been inspected in years. Rybka said the goal now is to inspect them yearly. Often a team approach is used, in which different departments - such as police and health - join together. The emphasis has been on quality of life. For example, after a January explosion at Cleveland Scrap on East 55th Street shook the neighborhood, residents rallied and the city responded. unfortunately this seems to be cleveland's response to a lot of problems - reactive and not strategic or ahead of the curve by any means. who would expect a city to inspect businesses that require a permit? to fine/identify unlicensed businesses? to enforce quality of life issues for residents? only once residents started complaining loudly did anything start to happen. this is the bread and butter of the suburbs and i believe a major reason the city continues to struggle to attract new residents.
June 14, 200619 yr There was that story about the guy who got fried trying to strip power cable at the old Aetna Paper mill, turns out the power was near a RR ROW and was active. And when I was out shooting West Dayton a few weeks ago I spotted some guys stripping stuff from whats left of the old McCall Printing plant.
June 15, 200618 yr ^ Yeah, check this guy out: Copper theft costs man his life Officials said it's not uncommon for thieves to hit closed industrial facilities. By SARAH WEBER VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER CAMPBELL — Authorities are trying to identify a man who was electrocuted while stripping copper from a local factory. The man was found Monday morning by employees at the former Cold Metal Products plant at 45 S. Montgomery Ave. More at: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/293099832166130.php
August 11, 200618 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060811/NEWS03/608110433/-1/NEWS -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Article published August 11, 2006 High prices for metals make theft lucrative By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER Rosetta Jones was shocked when she learned someone stole copper pipes from the former Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ on Parkwood Avenue. "It never crossed our minds someone would go in there and rip the place off," the deaconess said. "It's a church."
October 12, 200618 yr From the 10/8/06 Youngstown Vindicator: The landlord says copper thefts 'exploded' this year The landlord says copper thefts 'exploded' this year. By PATRICIA MEADE VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER YOUNGSTOWN — Landlord Gary Crim says he owns roughly 700 properties — many of them rentals in the city — and pays $50 to tipsters who let him know about break-ins. "Anybody calls with tips, we pay," he said. "I tell my tenants, 'If you see anything, give us a call.'" More at: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/309800460793098.php
December 7, 200618 yr Copper thefts on the rise BY WILLIAM A. WEATHERS | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER WEST END - The escalating price of scrap copper is causing an alarming rash of copper-piping thefts from Cincinnati homes and businesses, Cincinnati police warned Wednesday. "The city of Cincinnati is having a huge number of offenses," Assistant Police Chief James L. Whalen said. "These offenses are occurring every day." During a briefing to alert the public to the problem, Whalen said 426 thefts of copper occurred this year through Nov. 16. More at: http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061207/NEWS01/612070329/-1/CINCI
December 7, 200618 yr ^ As you can see from this article, we are now free of one less dirt bag in our society.
January 17, 200718 yr http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070117/NEWS03/701170415/-1/NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Article published January 17, 2007 4 arrested in scrap metals sting operation Copper wire, shopping carts found By CHRISTINA HALL BLADE STAFF WRITER The owner of a North Toledo scrap yard, his son, and two workers were arrested yesterday during the first of an expected series of sting operations by police, who hope to put a dent in the hot industry of stealing metal for scrap. "People can't do this without impunity anymore," Toledo police Sgt. James Brown said. More at link above:
March 27, 200718 yr Scrap-metal controls shaped City of Columbus wants dealers to keep detailed records Tuesday, March 27, 2007 3:31 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus isn't immune to a global rise in metal thefts. Nor is City Hall -- thieves stole $3,000 worth of copper off the roof last summer. Yesterday, Councilman Andrew Ginther unveiled legislation that would require scrap-metal yards to fingerprint everyone who brings in items for sale, report all purchases to police and hold on to most metals for a week in case they're reported stolen. More at; http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/03/27/scraplaw.ART_ART_03-27-07_B1_1566THO.html
May 15, 200718 yr Scrap-theft suspects nabbed thanks to video Monday, May 14, 2007 Jesse Tinsley Plain Dealer Reporter Security staff and video surveillance at an auto dealership helped Madison Township police arrest two men accused of stealing brake rotors and catalytic converters from a scrap-metal bin. Workers at the Classic Auto Campus in Mentor were monitoring their Madison campus via video cameras around 2 a.m. Saturday when they spotted two suspicious men. Arrested were Brandon Tomcany, 18, and Allen Cundiff, 20, both of Mentor, police said. More at: http://www.cleveland.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/lake/1179131804228010.xml&coll=2
June 25, 200717 yr Scrap yards collect cash and criticism Premium prices for metal boost industry, wave of crimes; Ohio bill would heavily regulate dealers By Rick Armon Beacon Journal staff writer By 10 a.m., the line outside City Scrap & Salvage Co. is several vehicles -- and one shirtless bicycle rider -- deep. Pickups, vans, trucks and trailers are overflowing with all kinds of scrap metal: crutches, bicycles, radiators, copper pipes and even aluminum siding. Buoyed by strong foreign demand, scrap metal prices are climbing and there's no shortage of scavengers looking to make a good buck -- like the shirtless fella who equipped his bicycle with plastic buckets to haul items. Full story at: http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/17412683.htm
June 25, 200717 yr Tell me about it. In the Cleveland crime summaries I pick up each week (and just for two police districts), there's at least a half dozen thefts of wiring, downspouts, pipes and conduits from homes -- some of which aren't vacant. My "favorite" was from early spring, when thieves stole more than $10,000 worth of copper wiring from an AT&T switching station at the west end of the Lorain-Carnegie bridge. It caused a large service outage. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 25, 200717 yr Have you seen these sculptures? Spring Grove theft images: http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art/uploaded_images/IMG_3705-704769.JPG http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art/uploaded_images/IMG_3704-703873.JPG http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art/uploaded_images/IMG_3703-762479.JPG http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art/uploaded_images/IMG_3702-761833.JPG You know that swell sculpture show at Spring Grove cemetery that I told you about a few weeks ago, well, I just got this e-mail from Lish, whose "Copper Copse 2007" is one of my favorite pieces: "Four of the five copper trees that comprised my sculpture installment, “Copper Copse 2007,” have been stolen from Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum’s 1st Bi-Annual Sculpture Show. "I am still in shock over four of my trees being stolen from a fenced, gated and security-patrolled National Historic Landmark. I am amazed at the audacity of the thief or thieves. The fact that they attempted to remove public sculptures that averaged 5.5 feet tall and 3 feet wide and succeeded has taught me a very valuable lesson: the next sculpture that I have on public display will be a lot bigger and heavier. "The local police are currently investigating the theft and I am confident that the vandal or vandals will be brought to justice. However, I am saddened on behalf of Spring Grove Cemetery & Arboretum, which does so much for the community – going beyond the standard functions of a cemetery and offering concerts, tours, walks and now art shows. It is such a shame that this crime has tarnished the sculpture show. "At any rate, I thought you might be interested in this development concerning the sculpture show. I think this situation makes a powerful statement about how public works of art deserve respect and protection." I turned the story over to our cops reporters, so we'll see what they find out. More as it happens ... http://frontier.cincinnati.com/blogs/art/2007/06/what-bummer-sculptures-stolen-from.asp
June 25, 200717 yr Another reason to support a law that controls the problem at the source of profit for these thieves. My wife's great-grandfather was the Mayor of Toledo around the turn of the last century and a huge bronze statue was stolen several years ago from his grave site in a Toledo cemetery. It is clear from the above posting that these scum have no qualms about invading even the final resting places of our families, friends and our most noted citizens.
June 25, 200717 yr My neighbors (three doors down) rain spouts were stolen last week. He woke up to do yard work (he is retired) and noticed they were gone. He lives on a corner lot right on West Boulevard, too.
July 10, 200717 yr City tries to curb metal thefts Rules would force scrap yards to monitor sellers more closely Tuesday, July 10, 2007 3:22 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The scrap-metal thieves who hit the Volunteers of America auto auction lot must have done this type of thing before. They sawed catalytic converters off 25 cars quickly enough to go unnoticed in the wee hours of June 30. They cut two holes in the fence of the W. Broad Street lot: one to get in and another where they had backed up a truck to load their haul. They hit General Motors cars on which the part is easily accessible. More at: http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/10/noscrap.ART_ART_07-10-07_B1_LD78B2B.html
July 17, 200717 yr More evidence there is a shallow end of the gene pool. Suspect electrocuted by power line Tuesday, July 17, 2007 Associated Press New Miami - A man trying to take down a power line to remove and sell the copper inside was electrocuted early Monday, the Butler County sheriff's office said. Deputies found Brandon Reed, 22, of Hamilton, tangled in lines after receiving a telephone tip about 3 a.m., Lt. Marian Olivas said. Crews from Duke Energy recovered the body, Olivas said. More at: http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1184661161101160.xml&coll=2
July 17, 200717 yr ^on Sunday, three guys broke into an industrial business close to my home to steal some metal. Cops nabbed 'em!
July 19, 200717 yr http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/07/16/smallb1.html Scrap metal friction Some say city, state efforts aimed at curbing thefts threaten $5.2B industry Business First of Columbus - July 13, 2007by Scott RawdonFor Business First Gary Baker, a landlord and chairman of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission, was horrified to discover that someone stole copper plumbing directly from one of his properties, and he assumes it was sold as scrap metal. It wasn't the first time he experienced such a theft, and he's a member of a group including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus city officials, police and scrap dealers who are working on legislation aimed at making it the last. More at link above:
July 23, 200717 yr Columbus City Council ready to crack down on scrap metal thieves Monday, July 23, 2007 1:35 PM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH The Columbus City Council is poised to enact new rules tonight to curb rising metal thefts fueled by a global building boom. The legislation, which would take effect in 30 days, would license scrap-metal yards that critics say are buying wire, piping, siding, downspouts, air conditioners, car parts and entire vehicles with no questions asked. More at: http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/23/scrapper.html
August 22, 200717 yr Police: Massillon man latest to be killed in copper theft try Wednesday, August 22, 2007 9:02 AM MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) — A man was electrocuted while apparently trying to steal copper from a power substation, the latest Ohian to die while trying to take the easy-to-recycle and increasingly valuable metal, police said. Harold Taylor, 25, was zapped Tuesday by an estimated 23,000 volts of electricity — nearly 200 times the amount that runs running through an average home, police and fire officials said. Full story at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/22/copper.html
June 24, 200816 yr Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Men stealing tracks caught in their tracks ROSE COOPER County Editor Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Criminals must be getting bolder in Clinton County. Two men were recently seen cutting out pieces of the railroad track spur on Jonesboro Road near Martinsville in broad daylight. A curious citizen saw the incident and reported it to the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office. The two men had already cut out three pieces of the track when deputies arrived at the scene. They were arrested for theft. More at: http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=167235
June 24, 200816 yr "Also found in the truck were 14 receipts for items that Roy Dunihue had scrapped. The items had been sold to Wilmington Iron and Metal and Daniels Metal Company in Hillsboro." I do hope they nail these guys to the wall.
September 11, 200816 yr Metal thieves strike church 12 engraved copper plaques pried off By Alex Shebar • [email protected] • September 9, 2008 http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20080909/NEWS0107/809090327/ EAST PRICE HILL - The memorial garden at Holy Family Catholic Church, a place where the faithful contemplate loss, has one more thing to mourn. On Friday, it was discovered that 12 copper plaques were stolen from the garden at 3006 W. Eighth St. in East Price Hill. They are hand-fashioned plates depicting the Stations of the Cross, each more than 50 years old. Read more at link above:
September 11, 200816 yr Selling Scrap Metal? Better Bring ID http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=cf298475-9ea9-428d-9e8e-0a24aeaa12c9 Last Update: 8:36 am In an effort to cut down on thefts of copper, aluminum and other metals with skyrocketing prices, the state of Ohio is requiring a photo ID to sell scrap metal. More at link above:
October 9, 200816 yr I was among those in Clintonville who lost power because of these dimwits. Evidence that there really is a shallow end of the gene pool. Power outages Copper thieves now hitting AEP sites Thursday, October 9, 2008 3:34 AM By Dan Gearino THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Thieves turned off the lights for parts of Dublin and Clintonville on Tuesday by stealing copper wire from electricity substations, part of what American Electric Power says is a trend that could lead to serious injury or death. AEP reports 13 copper thefts in the past two months, seven of them in the past 10 days. More at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/09/aep_copper.ART_ART_10-09-08_A1_93BI9P2.html?sid=101
March 23, 200916 yr Andrew Susak electrocuted trying to steal copper Posted by Donna J. Miller/Plain Dealer Reporter March 23, 2009 08:58AM CLEVELAND -- Andrew Susak, 30, of Hope Avenue, was found dead in a vacant lot at West 62nd Street and Barberton Avenue about 1:15 a.m. Sunday. Detectives said Susak and two friends broke into Cleveland Stamping at 3636 West 58th St. and tried to steal copper wire from a substation. Susak was electrocuted. More at: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/amdrew_susak_electrocuted_tryi.html
June 30, 201014 yr Two deaths spur AEP to warn about copper thefts Wednesday, June 30, 2010 02:52 AM By Josh Jarman THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH American Electric Power is asking the public to keep an eye out for copper thieves after two recent deaths. A Ross County man was killed Saturday after authorities say he tried to strip copper grounding wire from a South Central Power Co. substation near Clarksburg. A West Virginia man was killed earlier this month when he tried to take grounding wire from an AEP Appalachian Power electrical pole in Logan County, W.Va. In response to the deaths, AEP Ohio has sent out a news release asking customers and the public to report any suspicious activity they see near substations or power lines to prevent more deaths or the loss of power to customers, spokeswoman Vikki Michalski said yesterday Full story at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/06/30/two-deaths-spur-aep-to-warn-about-copper-thefts.html?sid=101
July 13, 201014 yr I took some stuff to the scrap yard and got hardly anything for it. A giant freezer (that works...I should have just put it on craigslist), a dryer (that also worked....bah) a bunch of heavy steel filing cabinets and misc. steel rods and such. Only got 35 bucks. I guess it's a good dump site though if you really need to get stuff out of a house or office with the quickness. We were joking about how I should have hopped out of the truck before they swung around again to re-weigh the truck after we unloaded. It would have accounted for 180 more pounds of steel lol. No one even watched us unload anything. We could have unloaded filing cabinets full of bricks for all they knew. I guess that's why they finger print you.
July 13, 201014 yr The price per pound has plummeted since 2007 and early 2008, before Lehman and the stock market downturn. Even so, even at the peak, it seemed a completely stupid thing to risk one's life for. It's also absolutely one of the most senselessly damaging acts for the return on the crime. At least if someone steals $10,000 in jewels, basically someone loses $10,000 and someone else gains it, and if you get the jewels back, the aggrieved party is made nearly whole (obviously, there's aggravation and potentially some serious incidental property damage). With copper thieves, for the sake of $50 in copper, people will cause $20,000 or $50,000 or even more in damage. A lot of the vacant houses in Canton were victims of copper theft and it made them true derelicts because one wiring theft adds a prodigious amount to the amount someone would have to pay to fix up the property, which prevents any sane person from buying it, whether as a residence or an investment. Even if you catch a copper thief leaving the scene of the crime, the damage has already been done; you can't just tell the guy to put it back where he found it. These are crimes that we have to find some way to prevent--and we really haven't been able to do so.
July 13, 201014 yr ^ Except, of course, when the scrappers are dumb enough to try to steal live electrical wires. The problem takes care of itself pretty quickly, in that case. As for the price of scrap metal, I was saving up some old stuff.. my friends exhaust system, some other scrapped auto parts, an old water heater.. etc. in my garage, I had a few hundred pounds of stuff but was waiting until I had enough to fill the bed of my old truck. I came home from class one day, and it was all gone. My neighbor said some guy backed his truck up my driveway and loaded it all up. He figured I knew him…
April 13, 201114 yr Police: Akron man electrocuted stealing copper Wednesday, April 13, 2011 08:31 AM The Columbus Dispatch AKRON, Ohio (AP) - Police in Ohio say a man was electrocuted trying to steal copper piping from a faded shopping mall. Akron fire Capt. David Ware said the man was on fire when firefighters arrived at the Rolling Acres Mall Tuesday afternoon. They'd been summoned by witnesses who reported hearing an explosion and seeing smoke coming from an electrical cabinet at the mostly vacant shopping center. Ware tells the Akron Beacon Journal the man had bolt cutters in his hand. Read more at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/04/13/13-akron-copper-theft.html?sid=101
April 13, 201114 yr Serves him right. He knew the risks. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 13, 201114 yr There was this heroin and oxy addict about 50 years old that lived with his 19 year old girlfriend in a car in the parking lot of my sister's apartment complex. He's always scoping out apartments the day after he sees people move out. I call him Dope-fiend Willy. One time I saw him come out of a front door right in front of everyone with a bunch of stereo equipment and run right into another apt. unit lol! That same day I hauled this big tv that didn't work, to the dumpster for my sister. I sat it down by the dumpster and he walked up to me and said "Are you crazy?" I said, "Yeah, I know, all the Mercury in there is toxic, gets into the ground water". He said, "No, there's atleast 3 pounds of copper in there!" I said go for it. I thought man, if you have the skills to dismantle electronics for copper, you really have more potential for your life than going around trying to find tiny copper scraps. All th.at work for what, 6 bucks?
June 2, 201114 yr This one's from Massachusetts.... but we have had thefts of rail in Ohio... though not with the serious consequences in this story... CSX train derails; Taunton police investigate theft of railroad tracks By Staff reports GateHouse News Service Posted Jun 01, 2011 @ 04:22 PM Last update Jun 01, 2011 @ 04:55 PM Taunton — Police are investigating the theft of two 8-foot lengths of railroad tracks removed some time today. A CSX train engine derailed on railroad tracks adjacent to Perkins company in the Myles Standish Industrial Park as a result of the missing railroad tracks. Read more at: http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x530602459/Police-investigate-theft-of-railroad-tracks-in-Taunton-today-train-derailed
July 19, 201113 yr Ohio man steals 60 tons of steel; gets eight years Tuesday, July 19, 2011 11:27 AM OAKLAND, Md. -- An Ohio man is serving an eight-year prison term for stealing tons of railroad steel from a CSX Corp. storage site in western Maryland. The Garrett County State's Attorney's Office says 37-year-old Robert Cook of Glouster, Ohio, in Athens County, was sentenced yesterday in Oakland. Read more at: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/07/19/ohioan-steals-60-tons-steel-gets-eight-years.html?sid=101
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