'Live' copper pipes stolen! Options

[Iommi]

This is true story I was told about this morning.

"This morning someone from the Phoenix Apartments (the old Phoenix Brewery) phoned me to report a strong smell of gas. I immediately attended the property.

I was astonished to discover that someone had stolen all the copper pipe that links the outside gas meters to the inside gas boilers. Basically they had hacksawed through live copper gas pipes to nick the metal... presumably to sell on as scrap. As a result gas was being pumped into the open air!

A call to British Gas led to the supplies being capped very quickly, although the engineer was gobsmacked the thieves did not blow themselves up with a spark from pipe cutting etc.


Ain't Britain in 2010 great!"

[Bloggo]

This is true story I was told about this morning.

"This morning someone from the Phoenix Apartments phoned me to report a strong smell of gas. I immediately attended the property.

I was astonished to discover that someone had stolen all the copper pipe that links the outside gas meters to the inside gas boilers. Basically they had hacksawed through live copper gas pipes to nick the metal... presumably to sell on as scrap. As a result gas was being pumped into the open air!

A call to British Gas led to the supplies being capped very quickly, although the engineer was gobsmacked the thieves did not blow themselves up with a spark from pipe cutting etc.


Ain't Britain in 2010 great!"

The frightening thing about this is that the possible explosion could have brought the apartments down killing many people.
I know I keep saying it but there needs to graeter deterents for this sort of crime.
Also the scrap dealers who make this happen by turning a blind eye to where the metal comes from also need to be severely dealt with when caught.

[JeffG]

Also the scrap dealers who make this happen by turning a blind eye to where the metal comes from also need to be severely dealt with when caught.

Problem is, one piece of copper pipe is much like another. Unless they are caught red-handed doing the transaction, I don't hold out much hope of them being caught.

[Iommi]

One things for sure, scrappies do tend to turn a blind eye to who ever turns up. At very least, although it wouldn't be that much cop, but they should insist on seeing a trade card of some sort. A Saxo full of chavs and a bag of random copper parts should alert the scrappie. They used to take the car registration of people 'selling' to scrappies.

The alternative is to use other building materials.

[JeffG]

The alternative is to use other building materials.

If you have a job that needs copper pipe, what's the alternative

[Iommi]

If you have a job that needs copper pipe, what's the alternative

I don't know, I'm not a gas fitter. It was philosophical suggestion, but it wouldn't surprise me if alternative materials were available.

[On the edge]

I thought scrap dealers were licenced these days. It would not therefore be particularly difficult to insist that they kept formal records of each transaction and having to establish the id of anyone selling them metal. Just as a trader does when renting a car.

[Biker1]

I thought scrap dealers were licenced these days. It would not therefore be particularly difficult to insist that they kept formal records of each transaction and having to establish the id of anyone selling them metal. Just as a trader does when renting a car.

There is nothing these thieves will stop at.

Drain covers, cable, fencing - the list goes on.
Apparently there was lead stolen from the station roof last week that had been there for 100 years!

Safety is the last thing on their minds!

[On the edge]

There is nothing these thieves will stop at.

Drain covers, cable, fencing - the list goes on.
Apparently there was lead stolen from the station roof last week that had been there for 100 years!

Safety is the last thing on their minds!

Agree, but where are they getting rid of it? In the normal course of events, very few people would be collecting and disposing of scrap metal. So someone knows where this is going. Might not even be local scrap dealers, but transported out - as its generally heavy in bulk no mean task to load. Someone must know.

Similarly, clambering about on roof tops or pulling up all the manhole covers in a street still takes a bit of time and effort - did no one see?

Why can't we set some traps? After all that's what we do to catch old ladies selling fags to kids!

[Strafin]

True story?? Come on, a bloke in a pub swears this is gospel.....

[On the edge]

Ah and urban myth is born! I thought it might be true - which proves the old saying one born every day! !

[Iommi]

I will guarantee this is 100%. This is from my best friend from school. I'll put my next wage on it, to a charity of your choice, if it is made up.

Willing takers Straf and OTE?

I have been told that the repairs cost £756 quid. The amount the 'tea-leaves' got, I would imagine, was a lot less!

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[Iommi]

PS - The incident was reported to the police, but I am reluctant to ask for proof off of my mate just to placate a couple of cynical berks people on this thread.

[Biker1]

True story?? Come on, a bloke in a pub swears this is gospel.....

Actually I did get a faint smell of gas as I drove past that area the other day.

(And no - it wasn't me! )

[On the edge]

PS - The incident was reported to the police, but I am reluctant to ask for proof off of my mate just to placate a couple of cynical berks on this thread.

Think I'll wait to see what gets reported in NWN. National Grid generally poublicise incidents as a warning to others. If it does get reported, I was goiung to put a few quid in tghe charity box - but then I'm a mean old cynical berk and wouldn't want you to loose the illusion.

[Iommi]

You think anyone from NWN knows where the old Phoenix Brewery is?

[On the edge]

You think anyone from NWN knows where the old Phoenix Brewery is?

Nice one!

[spartacus]

True story?? Come on, a bloke in a pub swears this is gospel.....

'Building stripping' is fast becoming the preferred source of income for the junkie generation... Daily (across the country) there are reports of people putting themselves at HUGE personal risk just to get their hands on a few metres of copper wire/copper pipe. Live Wire? No problems (except when 11,000 volts shoot through your body burn baby burn... but there was one the other week oop north when someone fried trying to do the same)

Put on a high vis jacket between your daily fix and then spend the day wandering around town looking for 'copper opportunities' where you can strip out and pretend to be working on the site.....

[Strafin]

Well I stand corrected. I won't admit to being a berk though.

[Iommi]

Who would.

The thing is, this could have easily been a major tragedy. I understand that there are alternatives to copper gas pipes. Perhaps that is the way forward. The thing is, the value of those pipes, second hand, must be tiny in terms of cash-for-drugs value. Beats scrounging 50p for a coffee I suppose!

Perhaps also, this might serve as a warning to other businesses with exposed valuable metal on their premises. Even live pipe and cable work.