The latest in crime

[laxfan25]

Things that you never even gave a second thought to...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23117250/

[BigheadTodd]

Recycle theft is getting to be big business. I heard a CBC podcast about it a little while back. One guy in Nova Scotia tried to steal metal from a power line transformer, and got serious burns over 90% of his body..... Yes he sued the utility company. The real big one was some guy was going into peoples yards, and cutting the 7-8 inches of copper pipe from peoples oil tanks into their houses. The copper pipe was the least of the homeowners problems, as their yards became an envirtonmental nightmare, with home heating oil contaminating the soil. All for a buck or two of copper pipe.

[OAKS]

Seems to be a fairly big problem for the city of Los Angeles - people are stealing copper wire from street lights to the tune of $1M in repairs.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... 9387.story

[Zeuslax]

This isn't just a urban problem any more. There's been more than a few guys on here that have talked about having to chain up their goals so the Methies wouldn't get them and sell them for scrap.

[StrykerFSU]

I also read recently about people digging up trees and shrubs from city parks, newly landscaped properties, their neighbors, etc. As someone who has done a bit of landscaping over the years, I know how expensive good plants can be.

[Jolly Roger]

Be careful, some team might get the wrong idea for a fundraiser

[Zeuslax]

Just as long as 8 of them don't go back to their house to get their lacrosse sticks to help dig up shrubs.

May want to keep those lax shafts under lock and key too.

[Champ]

Yet another reason not to drive an SUV!

[Sonny]

Yet another reason not to drive an SUV!

Catalytic converters are mandatory equipment all cars sold in American since the mid 70's.

[laxfan25]

Yet another reason not to drive an SUV!

Catalytic converters are mandatory equipment all cars sold in American since the mid 70's.

But the article referenced the fact that SUV's sit up higher, making it easier for thieves to quickly slide under and yank out the cat.
Here in Michigan there have been stories about crews going into neighborhoods and cutting down large trees like black walnuts, since lumber prices are high as well.
I've been familiar with the copper issue - that's been happening for a while - the catalytic converter story is what surprised me.

[umdulax1]

Another big issue on the issue of theft is the amount of vacant foreclosed homes that are being broken into and stripped of all copper wiring, copper plumbing lines, aluminum siding, ducting etc. That leaves that bank in a bit of predicament and the neighbors that have these houses sitting next to theirs as well.

[Champ]

Yet another reason not to drive an SUV!

Catalytic converters are mandatory equipment all cars sold in American since the mid 70's.

Obviously, but you don't need to lift most SUV's or trucks to get access to it.

If I'm a catalytic theif I'm not going to bother wasting time carrying around a hydraulic jack and lifting cars up.

[Gvlax]

Another big issue on the issue of theft is the amount of vacant foreclosed homes that are being broken into and stripped of all copper wiring, copper plumbing lines, aluminum siding, ducting etc. That leaves that bank in a bit of predicament and the neighbors that have these houses sitting next to theirs as well.

I know this is huge in Detroit because just about every other house in downtown Detroit is vacant. I read something in the newspaper about this happening to them around December.

[Campbell]

Another big issue on the issue of theft is the amount of vacant foreclosed homes that are being broken into and stripped of all copper wiring, copper plumbing lines, aluminum siding, ducting etc. That leaves that bank in a bit of predicament and the neighbors that have these houses sitting next to theirs as well.

This actually happened to my grandmother's house in Stone Mountain, GA last year. After my grandmother's death, the house sat vacant for 6+months while my dad and his siblings tried to sell it. Someone went into the crawl space and stole all the wiring and pipes, and leaving about $15,000 dollars in damages.

[Jana]

A friend's family owns a nursery in White Rock, BC, they are now hiring 24 hour on site security to protect everything behind the 10' fences. Shifty subcontractors were stealing plants, shrubs, etc so they could cut costs on their projects. The turning point was the capture of a guy who had been a regular wholesale buyer of theirs for years. Turns out he would come in during the day, buy a few things, scope out the stuff he really wanted, then back his truck up late at night, set up a ladder, and take the rest.

Interestingly....being Canada and all....they sell a lot of supplies that they suspect are going into expanding hydroponic farms. Because most people buy a few items of this and that, but these guys buy in bulk. And the buyers all pay in cash....Don't ask...don't tell....