Three weeks in Scranton and someone stole my pipes! (insurance, crimes) - Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area - City-Data Forum

Trucker7 · 10-12-2008, 11:00 PM

Three weeks ago I bought a house in Scranton after deciding to take the plunge and move from South Jersey to NEPA. I spoke with the neighbors, canvassed the area and everything looked clean and quiet. For the past two weeks I was in Europe and last night, when I finally returned to my beautiful home, I found the basement door broken in and all my copper pipes gone.

What a welcome....

dugdogmaster · 10-13-2008, 03:39 AM

It's not just Scranton, copper pipe thieves are a national problem of recent.

cathyde · 10-13-2008, 05:09 AM

This was interesting...

We're doing a major remodel of our basement, including a new tankless water heater. We removed all of the copper piping, to be replaced with PEX pipe. On Saturday my husband went to take the pipe to the scrap dealer.

When he arrived he told the guy what he had. The man said in return, "What name would you like to use on the form for your money?" not "what is your name?"

Sounds to me like these people know some of the copper pipe coming in is stolen, but doesn't do much to deter it.

I'm so sorry to hear about the theft. It's a shame things have gotten so bad that people have to steal PIPES to feed whatever need they have.

BLUEDIAMOND64 · 10-13-2008, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathyde

This was interesting...

We're doing a major remodel of our basement, including a new tankless water heater. We removed all of the copper piping, to be replaced with PEX pipe. On Saturday my husband went to take the pipe to the scrap dealer.

When he arrived he told the guy what he had. The man said in return, "What name would you like to use on the form for your money?" not "what is your name?"

Sounds to me like these people know some of the copper pipe coming in is stolen, but doesn't do much to deter it.

I'm so sorry to hear about the theft. It's a shame things have gotten so bad that people have to steal PIPES to feed whatever need they have.

When I worked the the railroad, the felony of all crimes was stealing copper. There is quite a big money in copper and especially now with the economy, people are even cutting catalytic converters from under the cars.

dugdogmaster · 10-13-2008, 06:08 AM

Even just plain ole iron

, I've heard stories recently of manhole covers and storm drain covers being stolen from roads.

The scrap yard operators aren't going to question where it came from, they're eventually going to make even more money off of it. Copper scrap is about $2/lb right now. And I believe scrap metal in general is over $100/ton

cathyde · 10-13-2008, 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHighHat

When I worked the the railroad, the felony of all crimes was stealing copper. There is quite a big money in copper and especially now with the economy, people are even cutting catalytic converters from under the cars.

Absolutely! A co-worker of my husband, who is in a carpool, parked her Toyota Highlander in the park-n-ride just off of I-84, as she has done for some time. She came back to find her converter cut off her car - and it was done in broad daylight!!

That can't be an easy job - and with a full-service gas station nearby, and the EMT/ambulance corp. right next to the park-n-ride, I am simply amazed that no one saw anything!!

Ugh...

Trucker7 · 10-13-2008, 07:17 AM

Definitely there has to be money in copper. One thing that I found interesting is that they took the copper pipes, but left the lawnmower and gas trimmer that were right there. I am definitely replacing the pipes with PVC or Pex.

Vinny536 · 10-13-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cathyde

Absolutely! A co-worker of my husband, who is in a carpool, parked her Toyota Highlander in the park-n-ride just off of I-84, as she has done for some time. She came back to find her converter cut off her car - and it was done in broad daylight!!

That can't be an easy job - and with a full-service gas station nearby, and the EMT/ambulance corp. right next to the park-n-ride, I am simply amazed that no one saw anything!!

Ugh...

toyotas are very popular to have their cats stolen. the truck is high enough to get under, and the converter is exposed. With a cordless sawzall and a sharp blade it could be cut off in under 30 seconds. I think there are some off road companies making converter security devices now.

As far as copper theft, its huge everywhere. Many new construction homes have been ripped off out here the night the wiring gets done. My work had $18,000 worth of copper stolen, we guess the scumbags that stole it probably made $200 if they were lucky.

The scrap yard operators don't care. I know people get upset about generalizations, but in all my dealings with scrap yard operators they all have tried to rip me off. I used to run scrap metal for a friend who owned a towing service and garage. I would have to sort everything out, watch them weigh and then run over the pay out with a calculator to make sure i got paid my fair share. they would always try to tell me that certain metals were lesser valued metals. One in particular was an aluminum engine block, the scrap yard guy put on an act that deserved an Oscar showing me how the magnet "stuck" to the aluminum engine block.

wowbaby · 10-13-2008, 12:16 PM

i am so sorry this happened to you! what a homecoming

Trucker7 · 10-13-2008, 01:09 PM

Just spoke with the insurance company. Now I am in the process of getting estimates. One of the plumbers I called told me that he has gotten about 6 calls for stolen pipes in the last two years. They should prosecute the scrapyard operators that buy these stolen pipes. And don't tell me that they don't know the pipes are stolen.