10 Strange Things People Steal

[Capt Worley PE]

These are tough times indeed. Food stamps through the roof, unemployment at 7.6 percent; 13.9 percent by another measure (look it up -- impress your policy wonk friends!), and less food costing more and more money. Uh-oh! Not the best backdrop, if you're someone with stuff to protect! Sure, even in the best of times, people steal. But in a pancaked economy, the pilfering goes onward and upward, and sometimes it moves sideways and gets a little ... weird.

http://news.discovery.com/human/life/10-strange-things-people-steal-130411.htm

 

[YMZ PE]

They mentioned detergent but not baby formula, which the Mexican gangs around here use to cut their cocaine. LA cokeheads get more DHA in them than the national average, I guess.

 

[Wolverine]

I'm assuming it's thieves, but every drainage grate on the side of the road on my local highway ride home is missing. Actually it's pretty dangerous.

Two years ago, I had the catalytic converter cut out from under my car midday. Apparently, my model has the "California" emissions converter which has (er, "had"...) about $20 of platinum in it or something.

Unscrupuilous scrap dealers are part of the problem.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Most of the items on that list should have been rolled into one. Copper, cast-iron manhole covers, brass urns from cemeteries, and brass caps from fire hydrants are all stolen for the same reason...scrap value.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

Copper theft has set our projects back several hundred thousand dollars, as had other miscellaneous scrap metal thefts. Most recycling and scrap centers have been put on notice to look for specific markings on our things and will contact the authorities if something shows up.

Scrap metal is only worth what someone will pay for it, so if we tell the scrap yards that our stuff comes with heavy fines for processing our stolen stuff, they tend to not want to deal with it at all...

 

[FLBuff PE]

^Thanks for the heads up. I'll just move it across the state line.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

In SC you actually have to have a permit to transport scrap copper. Supposedly, it cut copper thefts 60%.

 

[snickerd3]

IL just started new scrap rules the first of the year...the local scrapper is still closed thanks to the requirements in the new rules

 

[Supe]

Local scrapyards around here require a photo ID for all transactions that are kept on file, with weights and descriptions. That in itself is a pretty hefty deterrant.

 

[Master slacker]

Hell, someone at my last employer made off with $2M (two million) worth of gas turbine blades... an entire row... :blink: All scrapyards from Houston to New Orleans "never saw them".

Not that it bothers me now, but at the time, it really sucked.

 

[mudpuppy]

Are you sure it didn't blow?

(turbine blades. . . blow. . . get it? ha.)

 

[Road Guy]

2 years ago someone stole every manhole cover from our neighborhood...

 

[sycamore PE]

When we were in college, someone broke into my husband's cheapo rental house between terms and cut out the copper piping. The landlord fixed everything up with PEX. Next term, someone else broke a window and ripped out the drywall looking for pipes. . . Fortunately they left the PEX alone and went away. Ahhhh Flint . . .

 

[mudpuppy]

^That sound about right for Flint. You went to Kettering?

 

[roadwreck]

I am amused that Capt is the one that posted this story and after the slideshow the next story is "Personal Manifestos: Never A Good Sign"

 

[Capt Worley PE]

I am amused that Capt is the one that posted this story and after the slideshow the next story is "Personal Manifestos: Never A Good Sign"

Mine will be a game changer!

 

[snickerd3]

^That sound about right for Flint. You went to Kettering?

I almost went there. That was the other college I got accepted to...but I would have had to pick adifferent major

 

[sycamore PE]

^That sound about right for Flint. You went to Kettering?

Yep, I went to Kettering.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

^That sound about right for Flint. You went to Kettering?

I almost went there. That was the other college I got accepted to...but I would have had to pick adifferent major

I was accepted back when it was still GMI. Decided I didn't want the cold winters. Probaby a good decison as the time I graduated wasn't the best of times for GM (1988).

 

[snickerd3]

^That sound about right for Flint. You went to Kettering?

I almost went there. That was the other college I got accepted to...but I would have had to pick adifferent major

I was accepted back when it was still GMI. Decided I didn't want the cold winters. Probaby a good decison as the time I graduated wasn't the best of times for GM (1988).

It was still GMI when I applied too....It changed names shortly thereafter though