The current price of copper in the U.S. is over $2.50 per pound. This has led many criminals to get into the copper stealing business. These thieves just walk into buildings that are under construction and cut out all the electrical wiring and copper plumbing that was recently installed. Then they toss it all into an old oil drum and burn away all the plastic coating until they are left with
. clean bare copper to sell. This business of stealing copper is running a cost to the public in the millions of dollars per year due to increased construction costs and power outages.
