Author Topic: Thieves are SCUM! (Read 755 times)

Airscrew · « **on:** November 30, 2006, 09:36:50 AM »

so yesterday while at work setting here getting some work done, messin around here on the bbs and discussin things, getting ready to go bowling I get a phone call from my daughter (17) and son (16). Seems they came home from school and the power is out. My son says theres a pole on the ground and a wire laying out on the ground. Call the wife, shes already on her way home. I call the power company to report it and tell them that its possible there is a live wire on the ground. About 30 minutes later I get a call back from my son, power guys are there and said we've been robbed. He puts the power guy on (John) Says thieves stole my meter loop. They opened up the main breaker on the pole, cut the power, yank out the meter loop, hook it up to a truck and jerk the copper line right out of the ground, including the conduit. John says nothing he can do, I need to call an electrician to get a new meter loop. So i call the wife back, shes almost home, tell her whats goin on and when she gets home call the neighborhood electrician (kinda lucky, guy and his son are contractors and do plumbing and electrical work and only live about half mile from my house) and call the insurance company to make sure we're covered. Meanwhile I call the county sheriff.
long story short, deputy shows up, takes pictures, dusts for prints makes out report. Insurance says its covered, $250 deductible, electrician says he needs to come out and look at it but estimates $2000 to replace the meter loop.
So we sat last night, candles lit, trying to read books, listen to MP3 players.

So now here we set, no electricity and the cold front is here. Luckly there was still hot water in the water heater and there was enough for everyone to take showers. I should have a smaller electrical bill for November

I am definitely pissed off but no one to take it out on

. What kind of scum thinks its ok to steal someones electricity, to cut a family's house off, remove our heat, ruin our food, damage our property, and create a financial hardship...

moot · « **Reply #1 on:** November 30, 2006, 09:44:31 AM »

For the copper, maybe?

sluggish · « **Reply #2 on:** November 30, 2006, 09:51:39 AM »

The cost of copper combined with a crappy economy make wire look good to theives. I've read where in the Chicago area houses have been roughed in two or three times because as soon as the electrical installation crew leaves the crooks show up and pull all the wire out of the walls. It just seems like there should be an easier way to make a living as a criminal...

Sorry about your misfortune. At least you have neighbors that can help and an insurance company that is at least being cooperative. I'm sure you don't want to hear it but it could be worse.

Airscrew · « **Reply #3 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:16:58 AM »

Moot, yea for the cooper, I guess that makes it ok

I've heard of them stealing loops and wiring from houses, but usually they are unoccupied homes. these guys hit our house and one of our neighbors, and maybe others. The electrcian says he has some rental property thats been hit 4 times in the last few years. He said good luck with the county doing anything about it, they cant catch the guys.

I just called home and wife said the electrican (Bob) was just there. He has to go home and make sure he as everything he needs and if he does he can probably get the loop in today. she gave him the insurance adjusters numbers and he'll fax her the estimate and the insurance company said they could cut a check tomorrow.

Luckly my parents live in Pflugerville and if he cant finish today then we can spend the night at my parents house.

Sluggish, yea i know it could have been a lot worse, they could have robbed the house, we could have had a $1000 deductible, and my son could have been electricuted when he thought it was a good idea to kick the wire to see if it was live

Also lucky the house is still warm inside, when the house was built I ordered 6 inch walls with extra insulation

Mickey1992 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:18:32 AM »

Wow. I have never heard of copper-heads pulling it out of the ground before. Hopefully one of them will grab a live wire in the near future and check out early.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:22:44 AM »

Copper theft is the fastest rising crime currently. Most done by meth heads.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/31738/aluminum_and_copper_theft_stealing.html

rpm · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:27:23 AM »

We had an incident a couple years ago where a thief was stealing wire from an old rock crusher plant. Turns out the power was still on. ZZZAP!
He ain't stealing anything anymore.

WilldCrd · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:27:26 AM »

We had several vans broke into a month ago at the verizon yard. Theives took all the cat5 and coax out for the copper. Funny thing is they left the majority of the tools and testing equip and set top boxes. roughly 25k worth of stuff they left lol. I blame drugs. makes em do REALLY stupid stuff

Airscrew · « **Reply #8 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:49:46 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Copper theft is the fastest rising crime currently. Most done by meth heads.

Yep this is pretty much what the deputy said last night. He said they are planning more frequent patrols in our area.
A couple of years ago they busted a big meth lab about a mile from our house.

I'm considering getting an inexpensive video system and point the camera at the power pole. I guessing if it was easy the first time they might come back.

maybe wrap some heavy chain around the meter box and the pole

Airscrew · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2006, 10:53:52 AM »

wife just called again, Bob is back and says he can get it done today, and the insurance company has already cut the check and put it in the mail. But... Of course theres a but,... when they jerked the cable they also practically yanked the circuit box in the laundry room. the box is all twisted and breakers are popped out and the conduit going up in the house is all shattered.

Regular · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2006, 11:03:33 AM »

Collecting copper is a fun hobby for me.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 30, 2006, 11:03:50 AM »

Dam!:huh

Airscrew · « **Reply #12 on:** November 30, 2006, 11:31:21 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Regular
Collecting copper is a fun hobby for me.

that funny Reg, my youngest, Sara (9) "Daddy why did they take our wire?"
"For the copper"
"Why dont they just collect pennies?"

Sixpence · « **Reply #13 on:** November 30, 2006, 12:58:39 PM »

They climbed an electric pole? Don't worry, justice will eventually catch up with them in the form of a jolt of unlimited amps

Airscrew · « **Reply #14 on:** November 30, 2006, 01:23:24 PM »

Sixpence, I have no idea how they setup meter loops where you are from but in my particular case, the main braker is mounted on the bottom of the pole about 4 feet from the ground. Conduit with cable runs from the main breaker, underground about a foot or so, and then runs about 35 feet to the house, we have a manufactured house (euphenism for mobile home), then up the floor and into the breaker box in the house.