Don’t fall victim to copper theft!

With copper currently trading at over $4.00/lb and scrap yards paying $3.25/lb or more, copper is becoming an increasingly attractive target for theft. And, to make matters worse, increasingly thieves are “scrapping” actively used copper to sell.

Most of us have heard of thieves breaking into vacant homes buildings to steal the wiring and old plumbing to sell for scrap value, but with higher prices thefts have become increasingly brazen. Currently, there is an uptick in theft of copper condenser coils from building air conditioners. The Des Moines Register reports on a case that a police officer said was his first experience with air conditioner copper theft, but I can personally testify it is common in Chicago.

Air conditioners contain a large copper coil that is used to exchange heat from the building with the outside. While home air conditioner coils typically weigh in the range of twenty pounds, commercial coils can weigh far more. This makes small and midsize commercial buildings attractive targets. Thieves cut the coils from the units at night. To operate these units must be located outside, and are often behind the building or on the roof. They have a flimsy sheet metal cover that is easily cut away even if locked. Coils are rarely removed delicately, often destroying the unit in the process. Building occupants often go unaware of the theft for days or weeks, until the air conditioning is turned on. The cost to replace the unit often runs into the thousands of dollars for what, at most, is a few hundred paid on the scrap value. To make matters worse, replacing the air conditioner on a commercial building can trigger that the system is brought into compliance with current HVAC building codes, costing thousands more.

As an insurance broker, I have personally been a party to three copper thefts from air conditioners this year. The smallest claim was for just under $6,000 and the largest was for over $25,000. No thief made off with over $1,000 of scrap metal. The economic impact of these crimes is large and growing.

So how can we protect ourselves? Most steps to prevent general vandalism and burglary will also discourage copper theft. Good lighting at night is a must. Exterior recorded cameras are better, and roving watchmen are best, but usually impractical. Don’t leave ladders around the exterior of your building, and fire escapes should be secured to prevent access from the street. When able, often building a fence around exterior mechanical units or the entire roof can discourage theft. Thefts are effectively discouraged not when it is impossible to commit, but when it is substantially harder than other similar targets.

Also – scrap yards enable this problem. Without scrap yards, thieves would have nowhere to sell their take. Scrap yards however provide a needed service for the community and should not be overly regulated. Most scrap yards are already required to record identity and take pictures, as well of keep a record of what was purchased. However, a balance should be struck. Clearly, scrap yard staff must be suspicious of condensers removed with bolt cutters still dripping with refrigerant. Law enforcement can partner with scrap yards to discover and prosecute offenders.

Until that happens, we must all remain vigilant and protect our own property from this rising cause of loss.