The only way this is going to stop (other than the value of metals going down), is to cut off the head of the snake. Start going after the unscrupulous scrap metal dealers that accept this stuff.

Down here in the lower mainland, the vermin are starting to steal iron drain covers from the city streets.

I agree with you Pylot, and the Provincial Government just legislated increased reporting requirements as an increased burden for both the honest, and dishonest buyers of scrap metals.
As usual though, the dishonest ones will continue to fly under the radar of the authorities and continue to buy stolen goods from low down stinking scumbag thieves.
Too bad the thieves did not get fried to a crisp in their attempt to steal “wires that were in use “
metalman.

Stolen scrapmetal is so easy to sell because the metal itself is easily melted down and reformed into any shape desired. The organized theives are given access to individuals who are set up to melt down the metal for a percentage of the value. This reformed metal can then be sold to even the most careful of scrapdealers with little proof that the metal is stolen. How can you stop this practice? Unless the metal is chemically tagged with a molecular identity component and a mass investigative team are created to look for these molecular tags can theives be stopped. Good luck getting funding for that from any government whose prime goal is to increase the wealth of those already wealthy (this seams to be all governments today).Only when theives are caught red handed during the theft or the theives are too stupid to not sell their stolen goods to a criminal smelter, will this crime be stopped. We simply were never set up to prevent this type of crime.

These ATVs are being used everywhere as thiefmobiles for all sorts of things. In fact the ATVs themselves are one of the biggest targets for thieves. Very difficult to ID one of these atvs and how can you ID the driver wearing a full wrap helmet?

How about making owners of these have to register them and licence them and have to have licence plates?
This might just help go a long ways to finding who’s son johnny is out doing more than what anyone realises.

“Stolen scrapmetal is so easy to sell because the metal itself is easily melted down and reformed into any shape desired.”
I don’t think that is the real typical scenario at all and just an excuse to leave this wide open to all out thieving.

The scrap buyers are the ones who must be accountable to what they buy and from who they buy it. Offering to pay for scrap with cash is a good indication that monkey business is at work. Not documenting the items bought is also a sign that anything goes.

As I have said before, a scrap buyer who will buy a shopping cart full of plaques is someone who knows exactly what was involved with it when they bought it.
Industrial copper wire doesn’t just pop out of the ground in large quantities and that too is too obvious to just buy from some dudes in a pickup truck with cash.

The wire types or descriptions and origin must be part of this and a name on a cheque with the reciept is just basic commerce.

If lawmakers and police cannot figure this out then there is no hope for them. It is sad and unbelievable that it wasn’t until thieves began stealing the governments and utilities property that they woke up to seeing that this is a problem.
Lets see if they actually use whatever new laws and enforcement they have put in place.

Yes woodchipper – putting license plates on ATVs will help with copper theft (insert giant eyeroll here)

Make everyone show ID and register their sales, much like a pawn shop. It won’t stop everything, but it will stop a good chunk of it.

I’m not sure what might be wrong with your eyes interceptor but this goes way further than just copper theft.

You might have noticed that an ATV was likely involved with the above noted theft. They are the perfect getaway vehicle to use for thieves as they are almost impossible to catch by regular police vehicles and police seldom even chase them because of that. Criminals know this even if you don’t. They cannot be identified accurately enough to be charged and neither can the riders, so what other means is there? Its better than nothing.

The fact that ATVs are themselves one of the most stolen items, wouldn’t it make sense that they have to be registered and plated to help reduce this?
I would trade that hassle anyday for the constant hassle of having to have my atv stored at Fort Knox and chained up every second my back is turned.