# New law for copper thiefs



## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

Saw this this morning for all the thiefs that are scrappers out there, no more instant tweak money
http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-...bill-passes-senate-awaits-governors-signature


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

Where i takes scrap they ask for my plumbing license


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## Mike Rosselli (Aug 15, 2013)

They check my license too down here in South Texas. I think it's a great thing to cut down on these crack heads stealing anything made of copper.

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## leakfree (Apr 3, 2011)

I think in Illinois it's anything over $100 and your paid by check if it's scrap from the HVAC or plumbing industries,been that way for about a year


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## MTDUNN (Oct 9, 2011)

Where I go they don't give cash but a check in 5 days


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## B.P.repairer (Apr 15, 2013)

Where I go they copy your drivers lic. And they take a thumb print.


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## PlungerJockey (Feb 19, 2010)

Drivers license and thumb print is all that is required for cash here.


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mike Rosselli said:


> They check my license too down here in South Texas. I think it's a great thing to cut down on these crack heads stealing anything made of copper.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


 We are gonna be cracking your head if you don't post a proper intro..


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

B.P.repairer said:


> Where I go they copy your drivers lic. And they take a thumb print.


 Re post your intro... so we won't beat you up too hard... thanks


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

They checked my DL and then asked me how I inquired all thos scrap copper, brass... I showed her my plumbing license... she said that's better than most people can do.


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

Locally its 2 pieces of ID kept on file, any combination of DL#, CC#, other official ID. I give them my DL and PAL (Firearms Possession & Acquisition Licence) .

Is is evil that I mentally high-five Charles Darwin when I hear of a junkie getting toasted in an electrical vault or substation? One local incident a few years back was special in that the fellow entered an electrical vault that had a foot or more of water in it; it took a trip to the coroner to tell if it was the electrocution or drowning that officially got the bugger.


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## Greenguy (Jan 22, 2011)

Never had to give any ID back home, it was good because my old journeyman showed me trick shoving rebar in copper pipe, just a couple of piece he would say in a box full of scrap.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

MTDUNN said:


> Where I go they don't give cash but a check in 5 days


That makes me glad I still live in a state like Texas where cash is king. Why do they make you wait 5 days and then issue a check? Is it so they can do background checks?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

the dumb *******s will even destroy their own trucks just to get to water heater scrap metal:laughing::laughing:


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Master Mark said:


> the dumb *******s will even destroy their own trucks just to get to water heater scrap metal:laughing::laughing:


Good Lord. Don't water heaters only get you about $7-$10 a piece?


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

Greenguy said:


> Never had to give any ID back home, it was good because my old journeyman showed me trick shoving rebar in copper pipe, just a couple of piece he would say in a box full of scrap.


 Did he teach you anything that wasn't dishonest? How about in freezing weather you fill each water heater with 5 gallons of water to freeze up while you're at it? A 'ballast' dump tank mounted between the frame rails perhaps might be a good idea too!


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Caber Tosser said:


> Did he teach you anything that wasn't dishonest? How about in freezing weather you fill each water heater with 5 gallons of water to freeze up while you're at it? A 'ballast' dump tank mounted between the frame rails perhaps might be a good idea too!


I agree with all of you about copper thief's,

But as Caber Tosser said I thought I might mention something that happened
when I was a kid, my Dad had scrapped out some old cars and filled them up
with any old scrap iron around in the yard including a old wtr/htr then he had me drag a garden hose over and water down the whole load as while as adding about 20 gallons of water to the old tank before sending it all off to
the scrap yard


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## Mike Rosselli (Aug 15, 2013)

rjbphd said:


> We are gonna be cracking your head if you don't post a proper intro..


Tuff guy! Lol. Probably wouldn't say that if you were within 20 feet of me. But I did do an intro. Just didn't get posted I guess. Thank you plumbing policeman of the site for making me aware of that. I will repost intro.

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Mike Rosselli said:


> Tuff guy! Lol. Probably wouldn't say that if you were within 20 feet of me. But I did do an intro. Just didn't get posted I guess. Thank you plumbing policeman of the site for making me aware of that. I will repost intro.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


 No problem and thanks..


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

Had an interesting trip in to the scrapyard on Thursday; normally I'd go in on Saturday in my street clothes with my unlettered van and I'd get the two pieces of ID demand, on Thursday I went in wearing my uniform shirt and it was no questions asked for the first time in years.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

The problem with copper and brass thieves in riverside and L.A. counties isn't simply requiring ID's or contractors licenses, which they already require. The big problem is the fly by night operations that thieves take their scrap to. My father in law is a Riverside County Sheriff detective, and they recently arrested a licensed general contractor who was setting up recycle spots at different locations buying from thieves and re-recycling at established recycling facilities totaling tens of thousands of dollars. it took over a year to build a case and to allow multiple infractions. So, theft will always be a problem and I will always have plenty of backflow devices to replace.


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## Associated Plum (Nov 4, 2008)

$8,000 of copper stolen from local Plumbing Firm.

http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/benton-man-arrested-after-8000-in-copper-stolen-from-workplace/d/story/CBl8JGM1_UG41lUEdDIyUw


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## Associated Plum (Nov 4, 2008)

*
http://www.abandonedar.com/nlr-memorial-hospital/*



*Demolition employee scraps over 30,000 pounds of stolen metal behind boss' back*

"Leads, it never seizes to amaze me on how easy your system makes it to locate the wrong doing of a few unfortunate criminals who think they can be slicker than the system. My city has an old hospital they finally decided to tear down. In the past year we have had over 80 arrests for theft up at the site. I received a call from a probation officer who advised me on a routine check of one of his probationers, that he found some copper in her car. She claimed it came from her work. The probation officer advised me that the suspect worked for a business that was tearing down an old hospital. Hearing this, I ran her information through the LeadsOnline Metal Theft Investigations System, and the return showed that she had been scrapping behind her boss' back for several months using a different scrapyard. The female suspect had scrapped at the rate of 18,368 pounds and her boyfriend, who also worked there, had scrapped 12,818 pounds. The business that was tearing down the old hospital was at a loss of over $49,318.12, worth of scrap metal. Wow."

​


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## CaberTosser (Mar 7, 2013)

This one was in todays headlines:


Calgary Police have charged five people in connection with the theft of industrial cable from sites between Calgary and Red Deer.
Investigators believe that over 44,000 pounds of metal has been sold to local salvage yards for approximately $94,000.
Police have also located several burn sites where the metal was separated from the rest of the cable as well as local storage sites in Calgary where stolen material was held until it was sold.
On July 11, 2013, police arrested a pair of suspects:

Amy Michelle Dixon, 40, of Strathmore: charged with four counts of fraud under $5,000, three counts each of trafficking in stolen property under $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000, two counts each of trafficking in stolen property over $5,000 and possession of stolen property over $5,000 and one count of fraud over $5,000.
Kim Joseph Dixon, 47, of Strathmore: charged with three counts each of trafficking in stolen property under $5,000 and fraud under $5,000, two counts each of possession of stolen property over $5,000 and possession of stolen property under $5,000, and one count each of break and enter and theft, trafficking in stolen property and fraud over $5,000.
On July 31, 2013, police arrested Sherry Lynn Crowchild, 56, of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation.
She is charged with:

possession of stolen property under $5,000
fraud under $5,000
trafficking in stolen property under $5,000
David James John-George, 42, of the Tsuu T’ina First Nation was arrested on August 15.
He is charged with:

possession of stolen property under $5,000
trafficking in stolen property under $5,000
On September 3, another man, who was already in custody on another matter, was also charged with metal theft.
Russell Hugh Matheson, 51, of Calgary, has been charged with:


seven counts of break and enter and theft
six counts each of trafficking in stolen property under $5,000 and fraud under $5,000
three counts each of trafficking in stolen property over $5,000 and fraud under $5,000
one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000
Police say that the theft of copper cable can create significant safety issues for the community and first responders as well as economic impacts.

The CPS works with various partners to combat metal theft, including government, law enforcement and scrap metal dealers.


Read more: http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/five-people-charged-in-connection-with-metal-theft-1.1473374#ixzz2g6xVmaKe


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

The guy who set up recycling points was pretty clever, or at least he thought.


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## O.C. plumberman (Nov 21, 2008)

I like the fact that some states require a licensed plumbing contractor to be the only person allowed to scrap cp. I know times are tough but I personally have never had a h/o request that I save the scraps left over from a re-pipe so they can cash it in, even when it's copper. Also it isn't like thieves don't have bank accounts.... Look at the people at Enron, wall street bankers and the like, politicians, brokers, rail road tycoons, ect, they all have the biggest bank accounts and they are the biggest thieves out there. I think the way a thief stops stealing, is when someone either catches them and beats the crap out of them, or they get a taste of their own medicine when someone steals their belongings. Check out this proposed law by yours truly.... ... ... (Judge) ,,,Mr. thief, I see you stole something, from Mr. victim...... Mr. victim I would like you to go to Mr. thief's house and take his t.v., stereo his clothing, his car, or anything else of equal value to what Mr. thief stole from you. Mr. victim if you decline to take Mr. thief's belongings, you can choose the option to publicly give Mr. thief 10 lashes on his backside with a bull whip.......I wonder what the crime rate would look like then?


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