When I got the call from my soon to be not-landlord, I couldn't believe my ears. The copper pipes from the cellar had been burglarized, and did I have anything I hadn't moved out yet that would freeze?
In the midst of our moving frenzy, this was not a welcome call, but fortunately all of the houseplants had already gone on the first warm day available to us. We had moved about half of our stuff, and all of the valuables were ensconced in the new residence so it wasn't a panic for us. It just seemed so odd...
From a google search, however, this occurance was not so strange. Scrap metal, especially copper, fetches a good price on the recycled metals trade. Metal thieves watch for vacant houses, swoop in, and make off with the pipes that carry heat and hot water through the house. This has happened frequently over the last few years, though there was mention of a bill going through that would require metal recyclers to prove where they got the materials. This didn't deter these thieves, however.
Apparently, rentals with 'for rent' or 'for sale' signs are also prime targets. Leaving lights on, parking spare cars in the driveway, and other signs of life will deter these thefts. The fact that our downstairs neighbor had also just moved out was apparently a win-win for the thieves. No one was there.
Unfortunately for our landlord, his only recourse now is to report the crime and have the pipes replaced - a costly solution in time and resources. In the midst of the Christmas season, when the ideas of love and brotherhood are supposed to be the primary focus, apparently the theft of copper pipes is someone's idea of the way to show peace and good will towards men.
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