Just like in Japan, the United States is experiencing an explosive increase in thefts of metal objects in public places.



In Japan, there have been a series of incidents of metal thefts aimed at cashing in metals, including the theft of

iron drain covers and copper wires from solar power generation facilities. Such metal thefts are also on the rise in the United States, and the New York Times explains the situation and causes.

Metal Thieves Are Stripping America's Cities - The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/09/us/copper-theft-heavy-metal.html

According to Sankei Shimbun , which interviewed the National Police Agency, the number of metal theft cases reported by the police in Japan in 2023 was 16,276, an increase of 5,908 cases from the previous year. NHK reported that 'the number of cases has tripled in the three years since statistics began being collected in 2020,' indicating that metal theft cases have increased sharply in a short period of time. Copper wires are often targeted in metal theft cases, and some solar power plants are trying to prevent theft by clearly stating that they 'use aluminum cables.'




According to a 2024 New York Times investigation, 970,000 feet (about 296 km) of electrical wiring had been stolen from street lights in Las Vegas alone in the past two years, with some car accidents occurring due to street lights not working. In Los Angeles, California, more than 290 fire hydrants were stolen in six months, bronze artwork was stolen from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Denver, Colorado, and someone stole the mausoleum plaque and memorial plaque from the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in Carson, California, as well as metal pipes used to water the lawn.

Metal theft is a long-standing crime, but according to The New York Times, 'the number of cases has soared, particularly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, due to a combination of prolonged economic and social uncertainty and soaring demand for metals, especially copper.'

Copper is needed to build battery-powered cars, modern power grids, and data centers that power artificial intelligence and other technologies, and demand for it continues to grow as technology advances. 'It is estimated that there will be a global shortage of 10 million tons of copper over the two years from 2024. However, it takes more than 10 years to develop a new copper mine, so the value of scrap copper is increasing,' said Kartik Valur, director of the industrial division of the consulting firm, explaining that copper is being targeted because of its high demand.



The New York Times points out that 'metal theft requires a certain level of expertise.' The culprits who targeted the fire hydrants in Los Angeles were said to have been tampering with them to prevent water from coming out of them, so it is believed that the crimes were committed by someone with this knowledge and the necessary tools.

Local governments are struggling with how to combat theft. Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon has pushed for the establishment of a task force to eradicate metal theft, and has taken the initiative in removing bronze statues in public places and storing them in warehouses. There were 6,900 cases of copper wire theft in Leon's district alone each year, and some of these cases involved sophisticated criminal organizations that forced theft in exchange for the provision of drugs. 'The deciding factor for removing the bronze statue was the discovery of an incident in which someone was trying to cut off the statue's ankle with a saw,' said de Leon.

Scrap dealers are also helping to combat theft, verifying the identities of people bringing in metal and keeping records of every transaction. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has tried to tighten regulations by signing a bill into law that requires dealers selling copper scrap to get licenses and prove that the material they buy was obtained legally.



The damage caused by metal theft is so great that the cost of repairs is incomparable to the resale value of the stolen metal. For example, the damage to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, where copper art was stolen, was approximately $85,000 (about 13 million yen), but the suspect arrested in this case said that he only made $394 (about 62,000 yen) in profit from selling it.

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