Most Creative Stupid Crime of the Week

http://www.northescambia.com/2012/09/man-charged-with-stealing-164-dumpsters

With the number and size...eventually you are going to get caught.

(Are hiding something in your pocket or are you just REALLY glad to see me?)

I saw that article tonight. Some of the comments were good too.

Pretty stupid if he thought he was going to get away with it.

Pretty stupid of the scrap company, too, if you ask me. An individual doesn't just show up with 164 dumpsters to sell for scrap.

Along the same lines, scrap dealers know what air conditioning copper looks like and they should be liable for prosecution by buying that copper. There has got to be a way to stop copper thieves from ruining a thousand dollar air conditioning compressor for $30 worth of copper.

A lot of places are cracking down on recyclers...with civil and criminal charges being filed. Others are requiring photographs and registration of those selling to recycling companies, non-cash payments, etc.

Kind of hard to convince a scrap metal business that a bunch of dumpsters were collected by eager high schoolers raising money for new band uniforms.

My understanding was that he was cutting the dumpsters down into smaller pieces so that they would not be recognizable as a dumpster.

I've seen signs advertising cages you can put over your air conditioners to protect the copper tubing. Wonder if thieves can cut them off and sell them for scrap too?

I believe they are made from aluminum which is virtually worthless. They should be made form hardened steel which would make it a chore to cut through and maybe make the thief think twice about trying to steal the copper.

@ Eric: You stated that the buyers should be able to recognize copper from AC units. I am a little naive on metals, but what makes copper tubing in an AC unit any difference than any other copper tubing. Then there is the copper wiring used in commercial and residential electrical wiring.

Admin wrote:

My understanding was that he was cutting the dumpsters down into smaller pieces so that they would not be recognizable as a dumpster.

They don't look cut up to me. Pic from NorthEscambia.com.



Caption: Pictured top: Some of the dumpsters allegedly scrapped by an Alabama man. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com...

I was under the impression that those are the one that he took to refurbish and not the scrap metal that he sold.

Granny4Peace wrote:

I've seen signs advertising cages you can put over your air conditioners to protect the copper tubing. Wonder if thieves can cut them off and sell them for scrap too?

It would be GREAT if you could hook a Taser to your AC... and get it on video when the S.O.B. grabs it!

At the big recycling center on Bayou Chico they have warning signs posted that they will not buy Air conditioning parts. Some pieces are hard to disassemble and disguise. They take your picture with a photo Id, thumb print, and a copy of what you sold. I used to scrap a lot. The rules have really become strict in the last few years. Years ago when I use to go there a lot,you could see stuff that might be stolen..Auto Shred as it used ti be called is a very straight up and good company. I was going to write a book or a blog on the "Scrappers" that i have met. 99% of them were honest and very very hard working people who enjoyed the life style. I an not talking about thieves and bums. Thieves have made it hard on people who scrap for a living. Aluminum can bring up to 45 cents a pound for the right type.