Rise in metal theft reports prompts police training conference


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SALT LAKE CITY — They've hit schools, hospitals and airports: copper thieves are causing serious problems in Utah, and the crime is on the rise.

What's worse, investigators say these criminals know the law and they're using it to their advantage to evade capture by police. Tuesday, police officers from around the state gathered at the Salt Lake City Public Safety Building to learn how to do a better job at catching them.

Lesson 1: Look for the signs and behaviors of a metal thief

"A lot of this stuff is going to be stripped," Alling said, "and they strip that to strip away any characteristics that might give you away."

The problem, he said, is that thieves are one step ahead of police.

"We're playing catch-up. We just don't understand what we're seeing sometimes."

Lesson 2: Copper theft became an epidemic in 2006

Of all the metals, copper is the one most often reported stolen. By 2011, the National Insurance Crime Bureau statistics show copper theft reached its height and sold for nearly $4.50 a pound.

Alling said 90 percent of the thieves are drug abusers trying to feed their habit.

Lesson 3: Build strong relationships with metal recyclers

"When they believe something is stolen what we want them to do is call law enforcement," Alling said.

But Salt Lake City police detective Mike Millard said that relationship can only go so far because "it's really hard to track (thieves) down after the fact."

Recyclers are required to photocopy state or federal IDs and get a digital photo of the people selling the metal, but there isn't a national database to share that information.

The West Jordan Police Department manages an email system for police investigators and recyclers in Utah to report suspicious transactions. But that's dependent on recyclers noticing suspicious behavior, and knowing what to look for.

"Because the shops don't necessarily know; but through the system, we can take one person that we suspect and enter him in and find out all the shops he's been to," Millard said.

Utah lawmakers just passed a bill stiffening penalties for metal thieves and any buyers who don't comply with the law. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Jack Draxler, R-Logan,said he's open to suggestions about other ways to curb metal theft in Utah.

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