Copper wire thefts are still a problem across Canada, but it’s really becoming noticeable right here in Waterloo Region.
Businesses around Cambridge, especially near Highway 401, say these thefts are happening way too often. Cambridge Ward 1 Councillor Helen Shwery shared on social media that copper wire theft is a “huge” issue in the city and she’s working to get people talking about it.
The spike in thefts pushed Connie Cody, the Conservative MP for Cambridge, to call for stricter rules on scrap yards that buy stolen copper wire.
Just last month, she put forward a private member’s bill in the House of Commons that would make it illegal for scrap metal dealers to sell or deal with any scrap metal they know was stolen. Violators could face fines up to $10,000 and jail time up to two years.
Waterloo Regional Police Chief Mark Crowell told The Mike Farwell Show on 570 News Radio that police are definitely aware of this problem.
“Even a small bit of scrap metal from air conditioner units or things like that can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage while only being worth a few hundred bucks,” said Crowell.
“It’s usually a small group of people either local or coming from outside who try to cash in on chances here. So it’s really important people keep reporting what they see. We’ve got several operations going targeting repeat offenders and known suspects. We’ve made some serious arrests and progress on investigations.”
Back in January, Waterloo regional police charged two men from Kitchener with numerous offenses linked to copper thefts.
“Sometimes people steal out of desperation – maybe trying to get fuel money or dealing with drug addiction or other survival issues – but most times this is organized crime working together,” Crowell said.
Crowell also mentioned these copper wire heists often support other types of organized crime activity.
