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Copper has an increasing monetary value as demand for it has grown hugely in recent years. With this increase in value, the amount of copper theft has become more prevalent across the UK and indeed worldwide. The rapid industrialisation of countries such as China, India and Brazil has increased the demand for copper globally. The soaring price of copper has turned metal theft, once a minor nuisance, into a major problem. In 2011 it was estimated that copper theft was costing the UK economy about £770 million a year. It is an issue which has blighted many industries, from the railways to construction. Copper pipes, wires, cables, gutters, flashing are being taken illegally from buildings. Thieves seek out copper in empty buildings and difficult to secure locations like construction sites, communications towers and electrical sub-stations. Roofing materials, manhole covers, church bells and statues have all been stolen. In fact a bronze statue made by Henry Moore was stolen from a museum. It is believed to have been melted down for its copper content and shipped abroad. UK trains are disrupted regularly and vandals even cut through a live cable on the Forth Rail Bridge in an attempt to steal copper. These thefts not only affect business, but everyone who relies on access to telecommunications and broadband internet. In addition, the collateral damage done by ripping pipes and wires out of walls far exceeds the actual value of the copper stolen. Most of the time metal is sold for scrap. Scrap metal dealers have a tradition of trading in cash, which is hard to trace. There have been calls for stricter regulations for scrap metal dealers in a bid to stop the "copper criminals". Consequently The Scrap Metal Dealers Act of 1964 may be reviewed. Police have also seized amateur smelting equipment from metal thieves. New security systems and burglar alarm technology can now alert the police within minutes of a cable being cut or tampered with. Copper is one of the oldest and most important metals used by man. There are many industrial uses for copper as well numerous everyday applications. Copper appears as a chemical element in the periodic table with the symbol Cu. The word copper comes from the Latin word “cuprum”. Copper appears reddish in colour with a bright metallic lustre. Pure copper is soft and malleable, which means it can be formed into a thin sheet by hammering or rolling. It is also a ductile metal, which means it can be stretched into a wire. These physical characteristics have allowed humans to apply it extensively. Copper is also a good conductor of heat and electricity. In fact, it is second only to silver in electrical conductivity. If copper is mixed with other metals, alloys can be created. Cupronickel, brass and bronze are some of these alloys. |
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