There is an opportunity of which thieves are taking advantage. The depletion of natural resources has driven up the prices of what were once common metals, such as copper. The price of copper has risen over 70% in recent years. Thieves are breaking into empty homes and businesses and stripping the copper wire and pipes along with other highly sought after metals. On a bad day, thieves are entering homes and business that are occupied. The owners return to find their home or office destroyed. The escalation of this type of robbery has deemed new protocols for security agencies while politicians look at increasing the penalty for metal theft.

Metal Theft Costs:

• $1 Billion a year in Tax Payer costs, according to the Secretary of State in Mississippi.
• $900 Million for Copper theft nationally, according to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Copper is just one of the many metals targeted by thieves. Aluminum, Brass and Bronze are also highly desired. The up-swing in metal thievery is taking home owners and businesses by storm. The real question is what can people do to help prevent becoming victims of metal thieves? One of the first things is to work with a security company that understands how to prevent metal theft.

Key Points:

• Metal thieves target homes and businesses when people are not present. Vacant buildings and rental properties are prime targets. The ideal target is  businesses that are vacant on the weekends. Take notice of your neighbor’s shops. If everyone around you is gone on the weekend, then your business is a prime target.
• Metal thieves target homes and businesses with a lot of opportunities. A business with visible metal storage, such as copper pipes, rolls of wiring, and recyclables are key targets.
• Metal thieves often pose as repair personnel or as construction personnel so that they can work in broad daylight with a disguise that easily explains their presence.

Security Solutions:

• Mobile patrols that offer staggered monitoring of businesses and residential facilities during periods of non-occupancy and vacancy.
• Frequent patrols by food and bike guards that create a visible presence.
• Security check-in for all repair and construction personnel.
• Gate and Key services that allow specific people entry, but trigger surveillance.
• Surveillance systems through CCTV.
• Alarm response by armed or unarmed guards.

If you are a property manager of a housing development in or around the Sacramento area that might be at risk for metal thieves, contact Sacramento Elite Patrol for a free quote. We have the expertise to provide security via mobile patrol to help deter this crime and prevent it from happening.

Contact Us today for a free quote!