Latest news with #coppertheft
CBC
6 days ago
- CBC
Edmonton seeing dramatic increase in copper thefts putting lives at risk
It's a growing concern across the country and Edmonton in particular is seeing a surge in copper thefts. The crime is impacting hundreds of businesses and households and posing serious safety concerns. Alicia Asquith has the details.
CBC
26-07-2025
- CBC
Winnipeggers call for crackdown on scrap dealers buying stolen metals
Social Sharing Some Winnipeggers are calling on the authorities to do a better job at enforcing laws meant to make it hard for thieves to sell bike parts and other scrap metal for money. The Scrap Metal Act requires buyers to keep records on transactions involving used items made out of copper, iron, steel and other metals. It came into effect in 2022 with a goal of cracking down on this type of theft, particularly when involving catalytic converters. But some advocates said Friday the theft of copper and other materials as well as bikes is still rampant. They say police should be ramping up enforcement to prevent people's property from winding up in a junk yard. "The theft of wire, theft of copper plumbing as well, from vacant houses is a serious, serious issue. It's a symbol of the deterioration of our city," said activist Sel Burrows. "We need to throw the book at that." Burrows, co-ordinator of the Point Powerline community tip line in North Point Douglas, said some scrap yards are part of the problem. "Everybody focuses on the front-line criminal, but we also need to look at who's buying stolen goods," he said. Winnipeg police urged to crack down on scrap-metal-related thefts 4 hours ago Bike and copper theft continues to be a problem throughout the city, despite provincial legislation that was designed to make it harder to sell the stolen goods, and there's a growing call for better enforcement. "These are businesses quite often, and they need to be held accountable. If there's no market for things like burnt wire, they won't steal and burn the wire." The Scrap Metal Act requires buyers to record every transaction involving scrap metal and keep the records for two years. They also must provide that information to police if asked. Winnipeg police said in a statement there are ongoing efforts to clamp down on metal theft, including "the involvement of vendors in the conversion process for financial gain." Metal theft 'a serious problem,' minister says Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the province is working with law enforcement to tackle the issue. "This is a serious problem," he said, adding that this type of theft puts peoples' lives at risk. "If you're stealing copper wire, it's dangerous," Wiebe said. "We know it's resulted in serious injuries and obviously impacts the community." Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said better enforcing the laws would discourage thieves from stealing bikes for their parts. "We know that that bikes are being stolen, sort of turned into scrap and sold for that," he said. "If that's your mode of transportation … having your bike stolen also really discourages people from riding." Cohoe said people should remember to register their bikes, so they have a chance to get them back if they're stolen.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
El Paso man arrested after more than 70 copper flower vases stolen at Evergreen Cemetery
El Paso County sheriff's investigators arrested a man as part of an investigation into the theft of more than 70 copper flower vases from a cemetery. Daniel Sanchez, 53, was arrested on Tuesday, July 8, after allegedly attempting to sell two copper vases to a local recycling center that he knew had been stolen, an El Paso County Sheriff's Office news release issued by spokeswoman Priscilla I. Contreras stated. The investigation began on Monday, July 7, after a person walked into the sheriff's East Montana Patrol Station to file a report about property stolen across the street at Evergreen Cemetery East at 12400 East Montana Ave., the Sheriff's Office stated. Crime of the Week: Masked burglars bust into East El Paso smoke shop, steal nearly $3,000 in merch During the investigation, deputies found that about 70 graves were missing their copper flower vases, which appeared to have been systematically removed in thefts suspected of going on for several months, sheriff's officials said. Several piles of discarded flowers were also found in the desert near the cemetery in a possible attempt to conceal the thefts of the vases, which have a value of about $400 each, sheriff's officials said. As part of the investigation, deputies and detectives from the East Montana station contacted several local recycling centers. A center informed investigators that Sanchez was attempting to quickly sell a pair of copper vases, leading to the arrest of Sanchez in the theft case, officials said. Culture: El Paso ranks No. 4 for Día de los Muertos celebrations in the US Sanchez, of the far East Side, was arrested on one count of theft of property worth between $750 and $2,500. El Paso County Jail records show Sanchez was booked into the Downtown jail on Tuesday, July 8, and released that same day after posting a $1,000 surety bond. An investigation continues. Anyone with information or who may have been impacted by the cemetery flower vase thefts may call the El Paso County Sheriff's Office at 915-273-3814. Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@ and @BorundaDaniel on X. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso man arrested in theft of Evergreen Cemetery flower vases
National Post
09-07-2025
- National Post
Copper theft is a problem in Canada. Will Trump's proposed tariffs make it worse?
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Higher copper prices could lead to more theft, and stolen copper is hard to trace. Photo by BRUNSWICK NEWS ARCHIVES This week, Ontario Provincial Police arrested four men and charged them with stealing copper wire from 33 decommissioned hydro police that were cut down in a rural region in northern Ontario. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES Enjoy the latest local, national and international news. Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events. Unlimited online access to National Post. National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Police said the copper, with an estimated value of $100,000, was taken in May from Coleman Township, some 200 kilometres northeast of Sudbury. The news comes at the same time that U.S. President Donald Trump is announcing a possible 50 per cent tariff on Canadian copper. 'Today we are doing copper,' he told reporters during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. 'I believe the tariff on copper, we are going to make it 50 per cent.' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was in the meeting, later confirmed the amount. Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again It's a major hit. According to Natural Resources Canada, Canada's exports of copper and copper-based products were valued at $9.3 billion in 2023, with the United States accounting for more than half the total export value that year. Already the Guardian newspaper is reporting that the tariffs have driven copper prices in the U.S. to an all-time high, with copper futures jumping more than 10 per cent to $5.682 a pound overnight. Conversely, it noted that prices elsewhere in the world fell amid fears that high U.S. prices could reduce demand globally. Yes and no. Anything that increases the price of copper will mean more theft of the material, but it's long been a problem in Canada and elsewhere. Back in 2014 the industry group Electricity Canada released a paper, 'Copper Theft from Canada's Electricity Infrastructure: Dangerous, Expensive and a Threat to Reliability,' highlighting what was even then a $40-million-a-year problem. Last year, Caliber Communications highlighted the cost of copper as a factor driving thefts, and also noted the peril faced by criminals: 'In addition to the illegal aspect of copper theft, it can also be an extremely dangerous crime, as thieves may put themselves at great risk when stealing copper wires. Stealing live wires from hydro sites, telephone poles or underground wiring systems can result in serious injury, or even death.' And just this month a release from Bell Canada noted that copper theft is up 23 per cent year-over-year, with over 500 cases this year alone, and more than 2,270 since 2022. It noted that Ontario leads the country with 63 per cent of copper thefts, but that New Brunswick and Quebec are also hot spots. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Electrical transmission wires, such as the recent case in Coleman Township, are one source. Depots are another: Caliber related an October 2024 incident in which thieves broke into a business in Cambridge, Ont., and made off with copper wire valued at approximately $50,000. In 2006, the Canadian Press reported a crime in which criminals climbed to the roofs of four Quebec City churches, carting away several hundreds dollars worth of copper from the roofs, gutters and wiring, and leaving behind tens of thousands of dollars in damages to the buildings. And just this week a man in Brantford, Ont., was sentenced to six months in jail for dismantling the air conditioning units of two local businesses to get at the copper inside. Scrap metal dealers are the main source for selling copper, which is difficult to trace and thus hard to detect as stolen. In January, an Alberta judge struck down a 10-year-old law called the Scrap Metal Dealers and Recyclers Identification Act that required dealers to record home addresses of sellers, and for sellers to show the dealer government-issued ID. 'Further, these individuals must provide detailed information about the vehicle used to transport the metal to the dealer, the make, model, license plate, and colour,' the law stated. Justice Heather Lamoureux concluded the act amounted to unreasonable search and seizure by the state, and violated Section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Other jurisdictions have set up similar laws, however. Last year, Brantford city council passed a law that scrap metal dealers receiving 'restricted scrap metal' (a list that includes copper) must have police permission to do so, and have to gather information about the transaction, and not pay out in cash. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Posthaste: Copper theft is getting so bad Bell Canada is sounding the alarm
There's a crime wave sweeping through eastern Canada, and it's not jewellery or bank notes the thieves are after, but the copper wire found in telecom lines. Such thefts are rising at such an 'alarming rate' that Bell Canada made a public statement about the 'growing crisis that is endangering public safety and disrupting essential communications infrastructure.' Copper theft is up 23 per cent from a year ago, with Bell reporting more than 2,270 incidents nationwide since 2022. This is not a victimless crime, says the telecom. Thieves who target the lines for copper are disrupting phone and internet access. Copper thefts now account for 88 per cent of all physical security incidents on its network, with over 500 cases reported in the first half of 2025. Major Canadian telecoms like Bell and Telus Corp. have been replacing copper in recent years with fibre, but the transition is not complete. Damage to copper lines can also harm fibre cables because they are often bundled together. 'Copper theft is a serious crime that directly threatens the safety and well-being of Canadians. These thefts are not just about stolen copper; the perpetrators often damage other infrastructure such as fibre cable and the crime can potentially put lives at risk when people can't call 911 as a result of the damage,' said Bell's chief technology officer Mark McDonald in the release. Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec are the hardest hit, with 63 per cent of all copper thefts occurring in Ontario. Hamilton, Cambridge and Windsor are particular problem areas, said Bell. Just last week two people were charged after telecom wires were cut down near Guelph. In May, thieves felled 33 hydro poles by the Hound Chute Generating Station near Cobalt, Ont., stripping them of copper wire police say was worth $100,000. In New Brunswick there have been 80 incidents so far this year, said Bell, with most of them occurring in the Fredericton–Oromocto corridor. The issue has come before the Senate Transportation and Communications Committee and Bell wants government to amend the Criminal Code to increase penalties. The telecom said it is also accelerating its transition to all-fibre, which now covers 60 per cent of its network. The world's third most consumed metal, copper is used in a wide range of industries from building construction to electronic products. One of its biggest drivers in recent years has been electric vehicles. With surging demand and dwindling supply, the scrap metal market is sometimes referred to as 'the world's largest copper mine.' Prices have been rising since the pandemic, with a surge this year sparked by the threat of United States tariffs. The benchmark London price rose to more than three-month high of almost US$10,000 a tonne last week. to get Posthaste delivered straight to your who put their money in real estate, especially condos, two years ago, might wish they chose stocks instead, according to today's chart from BMO Capital Markets. BMO argued this case in 2023, saying TSX stocks had better yields, liquidity, payout growth and tax advantages, while real estate would struggle with cash flow dynamics, building supply and sinking rents. It's a trend that has further to run, said BMO senior economist Robert Kavcic this past week. 'While cash flow dynamics in real estate are 'less bad' now with mortgage rates and prices both down, they're still not compelling enough to draw investment in from other asset classes like equities and GoCs — real estate requires a risk premium (though many forgot that).' Equities on the other hand still have relatively favourable valuations and earnings and dividends should continue to grow if Canada reaches a trade deal with the U.S., boosting the economy, he said. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to sign Memorandums of Understanding on energy and trade. Bay Street shrugs off tariff threat as dealmaking tally hits $310 billion Stakes are high in Canada's race to become an energy superpower It's a tough time for traditional 60/40 investors With Donald Trump's tariff war keeping markets on edge, investors may be anxious about their financial plans. Allan Norman for FP Answers explains the three steps of the planning process — life planning, financial planning and financial advice — to get you what you want and keep it, no matter what happens. Recently, we published a feature on the death of the summer job as student unemployment reaches crisis levels. We want to hear directly from Canadians aged 15-24 about their summer job search. Send us your story, in 50-100 words, and we'll publish the best submissions in an upcoming edition of the Financial Post. You can submit your story by email to fp_economy@ under the subject heading 'Summer job stories.' Please include your name, your age, the city and province where you reside, and a phone number to reach you. Are you worried about having enough for retirement? Do you need to adjust your portfolio? Are you starting out or making a change and wondering how to build wealth? Are you trying to make ends meet? Drop us a line at wealth@ with your contact info and the gist of your problem and we'll find some experts to help you out while writing a Family Finance story about it (we'll keep your name out of it, of course). Want to learn more about mortgages? Mortgage strategist Robert McLister's Financial Post column can help navigate the complex sector, from the latest trends to financing opportunities you won't want to miss. Plus check his mortgage rate page for Canada's lowest national mortgage rates, updated daily. Visit the Financial Post's YouTube channel for interviews with Canada's leading experts in business, economics, housing, the energy sector and more. Today's Posthaste was written by Pamela Heaven with additional reporting from Financial Post staff, The Canadian Press and Bloomberg. Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at posthaste@ Canadian dollar could hit 78 cents U.S. and sooner than expected Canada home prices seen falling further as tariff war deepens downturn 擷取數據時發生錯誤 登入存取你的投資組合 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤
