Crime And Punishment - Scrap Metal Theft.

[ProDave]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28872642

Seven thieves who risked their lives to scale high voltage electricity pylons to steal 45 tonnes of metal cable will only have to repay £1 each towards the proceeds of their crime.

The gang from Cardiff, who were jailed last December, have no money left even though they made £25,000 from selling the copper as scrap.

HOLD ON A MINUTE.

So they stole 45 tonnes of copper. Copper scrap is currently valued in excess of £3000 per ton. So that should be worth well over £135,000

But they only got £25,000

Pretty much proof that the scrap yard concerned were "in" on the deal and they ripped the thieves off, pocketing the extra £110,000 or more as profit.

Are they being charged in connection with this crime?

Not until the scrap yards stop taking this stuff, and hand the thieves in to the police, will this sort of crime stop.

No honour among thieves whatsoever.

 

[steptoe]

even at 'unstripped' its over 1200 a tonne

stripped is nearer 4000 round here, and has been for a good while,

both times last year   I   the wife got close to 1400 unstripped.

 

[Evans Electric]

even at 'unstripped' its over 1200 a tonne

stripped is nearer 4000 round here, and has been for a good while,

both times last year   I   the wife got close to 1400 unstripped.

How much if Aggie stripps  ? :innocent

 

[binky]

thought most of the HV stuff is aluminium these days??

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

That story seems  inaccurate . Apart from the figures how do you steel that much cable by cutting it from live pylons. You would be dead before you even touched the cable

 

[roys]

The

That story seems  inaccurate . Apart from the figures how do you steel that much cable by cutting it from live pylons. You would be dead before you even touched the cable

Apparently one trick they used to do was throw a chain up to short out the lines and trip the breaker, then go up and cut, needless to say some died due to the auto reclosure relays on the breakers.

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

A chain across the cables is a linesman belt & braces trick whilst working on the system once dead. Would that work on live cables though as it would arc out long before its even touched them ?

 

[roys]

Certainaly wouldn't want to try it myself, it was a linesman that told be about how they nick the cable when I asked them about why they weren't all dead.

 

[apprentice87]

So far as i know the stuff on the pylons is a composite of steel and aluminium, the ally as the conductor, [not as good as copper, but lighter so you can have a greater CSA and cheaper too] and the steel to resist tensile forces in the cable.

john

 

[pickleye]

That was what I was taught at college john, my lecturer was ex elecric board cable jointer too.

 

[Marvo]

They've reclassified copper as a semi-precious metal here which means anyone cnvicted of theft will get a much longer jail sentence.  

 

[Evans Electric]

You  have reminded me of my first job .  Maintenance electrician I worked with would switch off , then  strap the feeds to earth , muttering , " Barstewards here just replace the fuses without checking theres anyone working on the line " 

 

[Andy™]

there are a few times ive left the live connected to neutral / earth just incase

 

[Ciatell44]

There is really no sense in that type of punishment. Especially because most of them justify it with “I am not really hurting anyone” they really should make punishment far harsher. I think we need to send a signal that stealing scrap metal is something that we just do not look kindly upon.