SUFFOLK
Police say copper was stolen from eight air conditioning units atop an elementary school over the weekend.
A Florence Bowser Elementary School principal arrived at work Monday morning to find that the air conditioning wasn’t working, according to a news release from the city. Maintenance discovered that copper was missing from the units, rendering them nonfunctional. Eight other units were damaged, each of them valued at about $2,000.
The price of the metal has spiked recently, resulting in a number of other cases of stolen copper across Hampton Roads.
Suffolk police ask that anyone with information about the incident at the elementary school contact Detective Heather Brooks at 514-7946 or the Crime Line at 1-888-Lock-U-Up.
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Need a drop not a rebound
To get the price of copper down, the commodity market will need to drop and not rebound. Right now copper is going for $3.69/lb and aluminum $1.50/lb. Copper also weighs more than three times the same volume of aluminum so I don't think anyone's old siding is in danger.
Sign of time
Copper is just the start, they don't make aluminum siding anymore or that would be disappearing,as well.Fortunately,the market is rebounding,right?Until it does or if it does I would keep my doors locked.Heck, those are disappearing too,along with something more precious, OUR JOBS.Isn't that criminal?That's the real subject.(economics)I applaud them for getting an early start on a market trend.(not really)
Show proper identification
People who sell this type of metal should be made to show valid picture ID at a minimum. Usually the scrap dealers know who is ripping this stuff off and buy the material anyway. A fine of at least 500 dollars should be charged against scrap dealers who violate this procedure.
That would cause the market to dry up.
I have to agree Wiff...
Why is there not a more proactive approach to prosecute the buyers of the stolen copper or catalytic converters. I can't fathom why anyone would not question a person that brings in copper wire, catalytic converters, or other raw materials without proving where it came from. It is legally called receiving stolen property.
Scrap Yards
If you have the police start monitoring the scrap yards..They will spill the beans.
Force them to picture ID everyone that brings in copper...record the information and most of these problems will stop.
get'm
Hope the thieves are caught and put in a non air-conditioned cell. At least there's no school.