Durham Police said there has been an increase in copper and copper wire thefts over the last year.
A wide assortment of building materials contain copper, and with the increase in costs for these materials, thieves can make a lot of money selling copper. Theft of copper pipes, tubing, and wiring has been on the rise in recent years due to the increased value for scrap copper, said a police statement.
Construction sites, abandoned buildings, and commercial heating and air conditioning units have been the biggest targets for these types of thefts, it said.
Crime Prevention Tips
- All copper and Metal should be locked inside a secure storage building and ideally within a secure compound or room within the building that is separate and alarmed.
- Never leave copper or wiring supplies within utility or commercial service vehicles or other easy accessible areas, as this makes it easy for thieves to remove.
- Paint all copper wiring black, this can trick or deceive thieves into thinking it’s cheap rubber wiring.
- Install security cameras and post signage advising area is under 24hr surveillance
- Lighting is one of the best crime prevention tools. Thieves don’t want to be seen!!
- Consider installing cut resistance fencing with heavy duty locks around compound area with sensors in fencing to alert if fencing is being tampered with.
Should any business wish to have a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design review conducted, please contact Cst. Darryl Rice at 3309@drps.ca or 905-579-1520 ext. 5660.