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Copper theft becomes a crisis for public agencies (California BART system)
SF GATE ^ | 12-7-11 | Demian Bulwa

Posted on 12/08/2011 5:05:14 PM PST by dynachrome

BART revealed Tuesday that copper thieves are bedeviling the system in more ways than stripping cable from its tracks. A project intended to speed trains in Contra Costa County, which was supposed to be done by now, was delayed 10 months after crooks stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of metal.

"BART is a public system," said Robert Raburn, a member of BART's Board of Directors. "This is a theft from the taxpayer."

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; copper; theft
The hi-speed rail scheme should provide plenty of opportunity for thieves, most of whom work for the gov't.
1 posted on 12/08/2011 5:05:24 PM PST by dynachrome
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To: dynachrome
"BART is a public system," said Robert Raburn, a member of BART's Board of Directors. "This is a theft from the taxpayer."

I'm amazed that he admits it.

2 posted on 12/08/2011 5:11:36 PM PST by Wissa (Gone Galt)
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To: Wissa

Yeah, that line cracked me up. The copper thieves cost the taxpayer less than the gov’t thieves.


3 posted on 12/08/2011 5:13:17 PM PST by dynachrome ("Our forefathers didn't bury their guns. They buried those that tried to take them.")
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To: dynachrome

Copper theft has apparently become a real problem. I have several accounts of people being arrested for copper theft on the local news.

Some times in really odd conditions.


4 posted on 12/08/2011 5:19:32 PM PST by yarddog
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To: Wissa

It’s only theft when they already have the money. The real crime is stealing stolen goods.


5 posted on 12/08/2011 5:20:04 PM PST by ModelBreaker
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To: dynachrome

Pennies 1982 and older are worth 2.5 times face value.. Next time you have a handful of pennies see if you can find one ;)


6 posted on 12/08/2011 5:22:08 PM PST by cableguymn
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To: cableguymn

I save ‘em.


7 posted on 12/08/2011 5:23:47 PM PST by dynachrome ("Our forefathers didn't bury their guns. They buried those that tried to take them.")
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To: yarddog

Some have gotten fried stealing “live” wires.


8 posted on 12/08/2011 5:24:58 PM PST by dynachrome ("Our forefathers didn't bury their guns. They buried those that tried to take them.")
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To: dynachrome

PUBLIC officials bemoaning theft from the taxpayer...?!

Oh, sure, ya just KNOW their hearts are breaking, suuuuuure...!!

More and more our entire public service sector is exactly that.

Don’t make me laugh.


9 posted on 12/08/2011 5:26:14 PM PST by gaijin
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To: dynachrome

Actually, that should read, “This is a theft of money stolen from the taxpayer.”


10 posted on 12/08/2011 5:28:34 PM PST by saint (God forgive us, we're killing babies made in His image.)
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To: dynachrome

If Bart belongs to the public then
the public has decided to take what they own home with them.


11 posted on 12/08/2011 5:29:10 PM PST by count-your-change (You don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough.)
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To: Wissa

There is no honor among thieves.


12 posted on 12/08/2011 5:50:52 PM PST by Mountain Troll (My investment plan - Canned food and shotguns)
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To: dynachrome

So your the one!

I do too ;)


13 posted on 12/08/2011 5:58:55 PM PST by cableguymn
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To: dynachrome

I recall seeing where a guy close to here also got killed stealing live wires.

Also the local sheriff solved the mysterious thefts of air conditioning units from a bunch of rural churches. It turned out that they were stealing them just for the copper inside.

I did not actually know there was copper inside an ac unit. It could not have been much. They were going to all that much work just to steal maybe a few dollars worth of copper.

It would be much less work to get a job.


14 posted on 12/08/2011 6:23:34 PM PST by yarddog
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To: dynachrome

Doesn’t have to be “live” as some thieves have discovered the hard way. Disconnect a ground conductor from earth at a substation and see what happens.


15 posted on 12/08/2011 6:34:19 PM PST by mikey_hates_everything
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To: dynachrome
Rails will be stolen from warehouse yards and sold for scrap by mexican slimers. Not one foot of this so-called rail line will ever be laid.
16 posted on 12/08/2011 7:09:21 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: yarddog
Air conditioning theft, I have had many of my rentals ripped off. Now I have STEEL cages over them, not expensive and much cheaper than the deductable on insurance. There is 1 side that swings out for repairs.

I put 3 very large heavy duty locks on them.

I have seen one business that had their unit very high up on their building,on a platform of some sort.

The metal re-cycling places that buy this, should have stricter quidelines.

Just makes me sick, they steal what maybe no more than $50 worth, that costs over $4000 to replace.

17 posted on 12/08/2011 7:24:29 PM PST by annieokie
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To: dynachrome

MAybe some cop will nab one of these guys for speeding while hes parked on the side of the road behind that bush with the radar gun. Heaven forbid these jackasses would actually try to stop real crime. Who knows it may turn out to be Union Goons practicing a little Job Security.


18 posted on 12/08/2011 8:03:58 PM PST by eyeamok
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