Man electrocuted in botched copper wire theft, police say
Well, now, it wasn't, was it? I'm trying to figure this out here. They were trying to steal copper wire? Is there really that big of a market for it that it's worth taking that risk? I mean, I can understand copper tubing - it's plumbing, the worst that's going to happen is that you get wet. But wires? Really?(CNN) -- One man was electrocuted and his female partner was severely burned after the couple attempted to steal copper wire from a vacant property in Southern California, police said.
"I believe they thought the power was off," said Lt. Keith Hupp of the South Gate Police Department.
The saddest part?
Police said they believe they found the couple's
children -- ages 3 and 6 -- waiting in a truck near the vacant property when
they arrived at the scene Saturday afternoon.
They left their two small kids sitting in their vehicle while they went to steal things. Now these kids have no father, their mother is in intensive care, and they're wards of the state. Then again, with the pair of geniuses that spawned them, they might actually have a chance at life now. Honestly? If it was just the two folks who were harmed by the theft gone wrong this would be a classic case of stupid people doing stupid things and getting what they deserve. With two kids thrown in the mix, it's terribly sad - that they lost one parent forever and another for however long the state deems - and also infuriating - these people thought nothing of involving their kids in petty theft.
I am reminded of a line from Calvin and Hobbes here: Sometimes I think the best sign of intelligent life in the universe is that they haven't tried to contact us...
That is all.
9 comments:
Gotta get that blast. Beat's selling t-shirts.
Cocaine is a heluva drug.
Actually, a lot of cities over the last few years have had to deal with these types of crime. I've seen many foreclosed/abandoned home in our neck of the woods have "No Copper" spray painted on them. Another thing they strip out is the '60s era Aluminum Siding and gutters. A friend who lives in the central core of Akron came home from work 2 years ago to find they had ripped down his gutters.
On the Macroeconomic scale of things, The ChiComs explosive growth has caused a huge upsurge in metals prices (which is a small part of the Ammunition Shortages a while back), so scrap metal dealers are more than willing to look the other way when stuff comes into their yards.
On the Microeconomic scale, this situation of the Poor trying to get some cash w/o being shot by the Cops is. of course, Bush's fault. Now if we all would vote for the Democrats, the New, Updated Stimulus Plans that will create and save a Gazillion Jobs...
Ever since I met you at the blogshoot I have been trying to think who it was that you remind me of: Neil Stephenson!
http://www.pinkasphalt.com/notebook/neal-stephenson-reader/
Yep - I had the same thoughts in my post on it too
http://blog.wymanhq.org/blog/post/2010/10/24/Shocking-news-.aspx
A pretty common occurrence here in Pittsburgh. A coworker's rental property had the same thing happen. The power was really off though so no one was hurt other than his wallet.
I can only assume you mean physically - Neal Stephenson is a writer, and I'm just some jamoke flinging poo on the internet... ;)
I've seen this a great deal. Folks stealing copper pipes or (live) electrical wiring.
Here, it's $2.05/lb, more if over 50#. So, five pounds of it will buy you some drugs.
I used to do electrical work. about two years ago prices were so high we damned near acted as armed guards as well as electricians. Air conditioners are a big target too. Oh, and copper gutters from the ritzy neighborhoods.
Here in Springfield, IL a couple years ago somebody stole the air conditioner from the Red Cross office and the scrap thieves were stealing the ground conductors from the electric poles.
I've heard of people here in Cincy crawling under cars to cut off the catalytic converters (platinum in those things.)
Also, some jerk this week stole an aluminum wheelchair ramp, and there have been thefts of bronze and brass vases and plaques from graveyards.
Some people are lower than whale-shit.
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