Posted on 09/21/2026 5:41:02 AM PDT by Red Badger
A load of copper worth nearly $600,000 was recovered on Sept. 11 after investigators followed a trail from Illinois to Kentucky and Ohio, wrapping up the initial search only about eight hours after the theft was reported, according to Yahoo News.
The case began when a shipment scheduled to travel from DeKalb, Illinois, to Rock Hill, South Carolina, never made it toward its intended destination. Authorities believe whoever collected the freight had presented themselves as an established trucking company, using genuine business information to make the pickup appear legitimate.
The breakthrough came from location data tied to Schneider National equipment involved in the haul. Rather than heading southeast toward South Carolina, the freight was traced to Prestonsburg, Kentucky, where police found the entire six-pallet copper shipment inside a warehouse. Three people were detained in Kentucky.
Meanwhile, investigators continued following the equipment used to move the load. A Schneider chassis and container were located in Chillicothe, Ohio, while state troopers separately intercepted the tractor associated with the pickup. One additional person was taken into custody in Ohio.
Yahoo reports that the operation involved authorities in Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio, along with Schneider National and CargoNet, which had helped flag the theft. Information about the truck, trailer and driver was quickly distributed among agencies as investigators attempted to follow the shipment across state lines.
Police are now examining whether the incident may overlap with another theft involving Schneider equipment and whether the people or trucking identities involved could be part of a wider cargo-theft operation. So far, authorities have not publicly identified the four people detained or disclosed what charges they may face.
The episode also illustrates how freight theft has evolved beyond simply stealing unattended cargo. Criminals can use authentic company information to appear legitimate long enough to take control of valuable shipments. In this instance, rapid reporting and tracking technology allowed investigators to locate both the cargo and much of the equipment before they could disappear further into the supply chain.
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I recall watching a YouTube video about an amateur chemist who theorized that if enough highway dust were collected, one might find useable amounts of platinum and palladium which had been shed by catalytic converters. He swept up a five-gallon bucket of dust from a nearby interstate and ran it through a series of complicated chemical reactions after which he did get at least a measurable amount of those precious metals.
I didn’t know copper was so valuable - but then it’s being stripped from lampposts and other places all over LA.
Got to my school one morning and none of the plumbing worked, toilets or faucets - the copper plumbing had been stolen overnight. Ditto for the air conditioning units one summer - copper wiring was pulled out overnight. Sold for scrap at the nearest metal scrap dealer that does not require and ID, as is mandated by state law.
“California scrap metal dealers are legally required to ask for proof of ID. Under state law, specifically AB 476.”
So much fraud in California, so what does it matter?
This company has a machine that separates the catalytic converters. Including vacuums that suck up all the dust and deposit the rare earth elements into bags inside 55 gallon drum.
I asked him how much a drum was worth when full. He replied $12K. I looked around the warehouse. He said there were cameras/people monitoring the inside of this warehouse 24/7.
I asked what is the most valuable catalytic converter. He said a Ford Expedition. It has two. Each are worth $650 as scrap.
He said it takes a thief about 30 seconds to remove one from under your vehicle with a battery operated sawzall. This was a few years ago.
The FBI got involved in the theft of them awhile back. To break up the criminal rings. They now have a VIN# on them.
So, the recycler has to record that number from the person who sells them the part.
This company used to buy them from all over the USA. They would send you a shipping label. Then pay you when they received the CC. They cut way back on that because he said they were afraid the FBI was going to come in and seize their entire inventory.
We had a rash of that thievery here a few years back. Then the state started enforcing the ID law and it stopped......
Coppers found the copper.
Kentucky has to replenish all the bourbon drank after beating the Aggies yesterday and looking like they were going to beat Bama in the 1st half a week ago.On a related note, UK coach Will Stein has sent a note to the Pentagon requesting the Secretary of War's attendance at rest of their away games this season. 😜
The sad thing is copper wiring is being pulled out of beautiful, old, vintage street lights - which the city then replaces with industrial street lights.
No one checks the scrap metal dealers in the dicier parts of LA - I used to work near one, the kids told me constantly they never ask for ID for metal - used to see a long line of shopping carts loaded with all kinds of metal - probably stolen - when I passed by in my car.
Clean copper caper.......
Impossible to make that assumption from a photo of coiled material. I purchased drawn copper for a light mfg co in the 90’s and that’s exactly how our freight arrived. Solid copper in 1.25” diameter is really heavy. Soft-drawn tubing, not so much.
COPPER = The next precious metal...
“You’ll never take me alive, Copper!”
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