The price of copper has doubled in the last two years, partly due to increased overseas demand. The rise in copper’s value and its availability has led to a nationwide crime wave of copper theft. Law enforcement experts attribute the theft to drug addicts who steal copper, aluminum, and other precious metals and then take them to scrap yards for quick cash.

Copper thieves are hitting businesses, public utilities, railroads and even private homes. Reports of air conditioners being stolen or stripped of their copper appear in nearly every state. The risks involved are high but the thieves are undeterred. Several suspected bandits have died while trying to cut or strip the copper out of live electrical wire. Last April, the Department of Energy published a report An Assessment of Copper Wire Theft from Electrical Utilities found that thieves hit utility substation transformers, utility poles, and even service trucks.

Because of the brazenness of these criminals, any facility that stores or houses copper products or equipment with copper is threatened. Home Depot, for example, has lost millions due to copper theft.  But the impact of copper theft extends beyond criminal activity. National security is compromised when 911 services are disabled due to cut power lines and telecommunications wires.

At least twenty six states have attempted to address metal theft by passing laws that enforce stricter penalties for stealing copper as well as tightening the record keeping requirements of scrap yards.

ACCA has joined a coalition of organizations in support of federal legislation requiring transactions between sellers of copper and secondary metal recyclers to be documented and for penalties to be assessed for noncompliance. Legislation would waive any preemption so that states with stricter penalties could continue to enforce them. A discussion draft bill is being circulated on Capitol Hill in advance of being introduced.

Thieves know to target HVACR contractors and distributors facilities for new or recently removed equipment. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that thieves can “the copper insides of a condensing unit can fetch $50 to $150 at a scrapyard” States that require more record keeping by scrap yards have seen a dramatic drop in theft.

In order to promote the need for this legislation, we would appreciate hearing from ACCA members about their problems with theft, or any issues with the proposed record keeping by metal recyclers. You can email your comments to ACCA Government Relations Director Charlie McCrudden at charlie.mccrudden@acca.org or call 703 824-8841.