Copper Thieves Hit EAV

The copper thieves are at it again.

Earlier this week, Atlanta police said thieves stole air conditioning units from three businesses in the 1200 block of Glenwood Avenue in East Atlanta Village.

The thefts continue an ongoing trend of — usually for copper — that has plagued the city.

Businesses have been the prime targets, of course, but private homeowners, churches and even cemeteries have been hit, too.

On Thursday, state Sen. Renee Unterman, R-Buford, announced plans to introduce a new bill that would require heavy metals dealers take fingerprints, and create logs of other identifying information on the people from whom they buy copper and other compounds.

"What has happened to our society when we are stealing from dead people and we can't even go to church on Sunday?" Unterman told the Gwinnett Daily Post. "It hurts many, many individuals and families."

But there's a reason for the thefts.

Metals, particularly copper, have had sharp price increases as raw materials demand from China, the world's largest copper consumer, has spiked.

Dow Jones Newswires reported Friday the per-pound price in copper futures — contracts to sell the metal for a set price at a future date — have risen for three consecutive days and hit their highest level in about four months.

Your annoying neighborhood copper thieves likely aren't trading copper futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange, but they know they can get more for it.

Put another way: Coinflation.com estimates a copper penny in your pocket (one made between 1909 and 1982, before the U.S. Mint switched to zinc) is more valuable melted down — almost 2.5 cents per penny— than it is when used as currency.

Atlanta Police Department officials say stepped up patrolling and attention have led to a decrease in metals thefts.

"Metals theft continues to be a concern throughout the city, the metro region and the state," APD spokesman Carlos Campos told East Atlanta Patch.

"We believe, however, that our enforcement efforts have led to a decrease in the incidents inside the city limits.

"We have taken great lengths to inform and educate institutions – businesses and churches, in particular – to guard against this type of theft," Campos continued. "We have also made patrolling for this crime a priority in the zones."