Copper theft arrest highlights pernicious problem of on-site theft.
A man hired to help demolish the Bleachery has been charged with stealing copper wire from the old mill site on White Street. Juan Romero, 35, of Salisbury, N.C., was charged with petty larceny last week after being accused of stealing the wiring, according to a Rock Hill police report. A witness told police he saw Romero putting wire in a backpack and take it from the demolition site starting last Wednesday. (Read more here).
This set us to thinking. While equipment theft is a high-profile issue that is often discussed with national and international police forces becoming increasingly well-equipped to deal with this well-established and highly expensive problem.
But what of these so-called petty thefts of materials that often fly under the industry radar. We’re all aware that they happen, and with fluctuating copper prices often making such thefts lucrative, are we seeing an escalation?
We’d love to hear your thoughts, so we have created a new question over on the Forum.
