ShareThisThieves who have discovered that copper can bring in a pretty penny are targeting highways and byways.Some criminals even have taken to donning orange vests and helmets to pose as Caltrans and construction workers while ripping out guardrails, overhead and underpass lighting, sprinkler systems, road signs and just about any metal items they can get their hands on, said Officer Joe Ramos, of the California Highway Patrol.Others prefer night to slip into vacant homes, construction sites, county maintenance yards, Little League fields, museums, parks and businesses to steal metal items that can be sold for scrap, said San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Josie Gonzalez."Metal theft is a cancer spreading across the Inland Empire," Terri Kasinga, Caltrans' District 8 spokeswoman, said during a news conference this week.Ramos, Kasinga and Gonzalez were among county and state officials who said metal thefts are jeopardizing public safety and costing taxpayers.On Sunday, $15,000 worth of copper and metal was stolen from Caltrans' Victorville maintenance yard. Last week, materials valued at $75,000 were taken from a Redlands construction site, including 1,325 feet of copper wire, Gonzalez said.Caltrans initiated a $300,000 emergency contract to repair damage done by copper thieves since November.Officials also are seeking the public's help."As you drive on freeways, especially at night, please be vigilant and watch out for suspicious activity," Kasinga said.Ramos pointed to a display table heaped with mounds of copper wire, chain saws and other items recovered in recent weeks.He said more thefts are occurring along interstates 10, 15 and 215 and state highways, so enhanced surveillance and other measures are being taken.Factors contributing to the surge in metal thefts could include the economic downturn, job losses and steadily rising metal prices, Gonzalez said."In the last three years, the price per pound for recycled copper has gone from 70 cents to $3 and $3.50," Gonzalez said.Several legislative solutions are in the works.San Bernardino County's attorneys are drafting a metal-theft ordinance to regulate metal purchases, Gonzalez said.Various state laws under consideration also would require sellers to provide fingerprints, photos and identification or would increase penalties.E-mail Michael Perrault at mperrault(at)PE.com(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Copper thieves target California highways
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