It's just not Copper

Mon Jul 14, 7:00 PM ET


FLINT, Mich. - Officials in Flint, Mich., say they've had to replace hundreds of manhole covers and grates that were probably stolen and sold for scrap.

The Flint Journal reported Monday that nearly 400 cast iron covers and grates have been taken from streets in the past year. A cover can fetch $20 from a scrap yard but can cost the city more than $200 to replace.
Officials in neighboring Burton say they've lost about 200 covers and grates during the same period. Utilities supervisor Mike Holzer says it leaves behind holes up to 35 feet deep.
Genesee County officials say they've been able to reduce thefts of county-owned covers by outfitting them with a bolt that is turned by a wrench only they have.

So who are they selling these to? No honest scrap metal dealer would be accepting manhole covers, would they? At the very least there should be a law requiring proof that the person trying to sell manhole covers represents a legitimate agency (city, county, state), or if resold that they have proof that they came from such. Anyone else should be reported immediately.

That is what I think, too. Not good to receive stolen goods, I bet in my opinion, most do not do so, knowing it is.

I guess they roll in with their truck, probably had broken up the covers and mixed it in with other metals. I imagine the scrap person only looked to see what to write down, mixed metals maybe. From there the truck got weighed and then got emptied and scooped into a freight car and dispersed from there.

What these people do is just so darned dangerous. I guess it is watch where you walk, or drive.

So who are they selling these to?

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Probably on e-bay just like with stolen air bags.

They steal them, put them on e-bay and utilities buy them back.

And round the circle goes.

One thing for sure!
Crack heads work way too hard for the money they make!

Redwood said:

One thing for sure!
Crack heads work way too hard for the money they make!

Click to expand...

Up here there is a guy every 6 months that gets fried trying to steal copper out of substations; I guess the same down south

The latest trend here is stealing brass/bronze grave markers. On commercial buildings they're also finding a lot of brass/bronze fire adapters that allow the fire hoses to get increased pressure when hooked up are turning up missing.

Probably wouldn't even do any good to shoot these morons....another would be right behind to pick up the brass shell casings.

Mort

There has been, and always will be people that think they are entitled to anything and everything that can possibly be ripped off. All you can do about it is try to keep the less committed from taking yours...in other words make someone else's stuff easier or more likely to be the choice. Sad, but true.

Yeah, I've heard that guys will back their trucks up to substations, somehow latch onto the copper grounding and drive out trying to rip out as much as they can from the ground. What a mess.

Here are a couple of winners of the "Darwin Was Right Award!"

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9903339

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/05/29/5714866-cp.html