Copper thefts up across Richland County, how to spot criminal activity
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — The Richland County Sheriff’s Department is reporting a rise in copper thefts across the Midlands, and law enforcement is asking local residents to be on the lookout for copper thieves.
“We need help. In Richland County in the Midlands we have been hit by copper thefts very bad,” says Sheriff Leon Lott, adding that AT&T has been the victim of 105 copper thefts since last October. Sixty of those were in Richland County alone.
Thieves cut cables, heavily damaging a community’s communication infrastructure in the process.
“When they cut these wires, your internet goes out, your phones go out, you can’t contact emergency services. It is hitting neighborhoods and businesses very hard. So we need help,” says Lott.
Criminals then sell the stolen copper to scrap metal dealers and recyclers — oftentimes for big money — as in the case of 58-year-old Michael McCraw, who raked in $38,000 selling burned communication line copper.
Thieves will oftentimes pretend to work for a cable or phone company. Lott says if you see somebody that’s got a truck with no markings on it or a car that’s parked at a pole and you see somebody up on a ladder, to call law enforcement and report it. He also says phone or cable companies typically don’t do repair work after 5 p.m. or on weekends.
Options include calling 911, or the non-emergency number for the sheriff’s department at 803-252-2911. Residents can also call CrimeStoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.
“People are seeing what’s going on and not realizing it. Open your eyes and when you see something, you need to say something,” says Lott.
Recycling centers can also face criminal charges for purchasing stolen copper — Lott says anyone who possesses or sells copper is supposed to do so with a permit.
