Law-enforcement technologyGPS trackers help catch copper thieves
With thieves continuing to steal copper wiring and wreaking havoc on critical infrastructure systems across the United States, some security officials have taken to installing GPS tracking devices in copper wire to put an end to the growing problem
GPS transmitter hidden among copper rolls will lead directly to the thieves // Source: metrometalsusa.com
With thieves continuing to steal copper wiring and wreaking havoc on critical infrastructure systems across the United States, some security officials have taken to installing GPS tracking devices in copper wire to put an end to the growing problem.
Most recently in Cassia County, Idaho the Sheriff’s Office was able to catch copper thieves by simply following the GPS signal it had embedded in some wiring.
Last Sunday, police received an alert that the GPS tracker attached to a roll of copper wire in a rural area of the county was being moved. By heading to the GPS coordinates of the device, police were able to locate the wire in a suspect’s vehicle, resulting in the arrest of a thirty-eight year old man and a fifteen-year old boy.
“Let this be a warning to the potential copper thieves, the next roll of wire that you take may be the one that has our tracker embedded in it and you will be next,” said Cassia County Sheriff Randy Kidd.
According to Kidd, this is the second time in the last several years that the Sherriff’s office has made multiple arrests with the help of GPS technology.
The latest arrest comes as the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that police must obtain a search warrant before placing a GPS tracking device on a suspect’s property. In this case, Sheriff Kidd said because the device was placed with the wire’s owner’s approval, no warrant was necessary.
In the past several years, copper thefts have become an increasing problem as record prices for the metal have spurred criminals to break into phone lines, electrical substations, and other major industrial sites.
These thefts have proven to be particularly disruptive as wiring is taken from overhead power lines, street lights, railroads, cellphone towers, and tornado warning systems, resulting in telephone outages, blackouts, and other interruptions in service.
In addition, repairing the damage that thieves have left in their wake is a costly endeavor, especially given the current fiscal environment with many cities and states struggling with budget deficits. According to the Department of Energy copper thefts cost more than $1 billion in damages a year.
