Please note that copper theft is on the rise in Cape Town and surrounding areas. The result can be pinned down to a few elements explained below-


- With the economic recession peaking, and with unemployment on the rise people seek an income be it legal or illegal
- Drug users looking to get money for the next "fix", this is often the case according to police officials
- Copper scrap price has risen slightly giving the vandals/ thieves an incentive
- Thieves often get very little for what the steal and will probably do 3 or 4 houses in the area


Copper thieves are learning more and more with each and every "job" they complete. For obvious reasons I will not be listing them, but sometime stripping older schools in Cape Town bare from all copper, brass and anything of any scrap value leaving the school and/ or government left with a hefty bill in the end. 


These thieves have no regard or respect to your property and will do their best to get the most copper for their efforts, sometimes leaving nothing but the broken ends of copper sticking out of the brickwork.


Copper thefts can be a costly exercise for any home owner. Places where there is a lot of foot traffic (eyes wonder around and they are always on the look out for copper) or the opposite where there wont be a lot of witnesses and easy access to copper or brass should be safely guarded or removed and replaced with a SABS approved pipe with little or no scrap value.