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[Mike Sokol]

Monday, October 27, 2014

Copper theft from lighting systems is ‘literally highway robbery’; officials start crackdown

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police are joining forces and offering a reward to attack a crime that is costing Kentucky taxpayers millions of dollars – theft of copper wire from highway lighting systems.
 
“The crime of copper wire theft from lights that illuminate our roadways is literally highway robbery of Kentucky drivers,” KSP Major Mike Crawford said at a news conference today. “This type of theft results in damage that far exceeds the salvage value of the wire.”
 
There have been 37 thefts of copper wire from interstate light fixtures along I-64 and I-75 in Kentucky.

Nancy Albright, deputy state highway engineer in charge of operations and maintenance, said KYTC engineers estimate that the thieves have caused at least $2 million in damages in the last four years. In 2014 alone, thieves have pillaged entrance and exit ramp lights on our interstate highways at least 37 times.
 
“The cost of replacing wiring and repairing vandalized lights comes from the cabinet’s highway maintenance budget,” Albright said. “In other words, motor-fuels tax money that Kentucky drivers pay at the pump – money that we need for such work as snow and ice removal, potholes and guardrail repair – instead has to be spent to remediate crime scenes.”
 
Also of concern is the safety of motorists. “Imagine the difficulty for a driver who has to navigate an interchange – possibly an unfamiliar interchange – in greater darkness,” Albright said.
 
To fight back, the two agencies today announced a reward of up to $2,500, paid from KYTC maintenance funds, for information leading to arrest and conviction of those responsible for copper wire theft from highway lights. They also joined in making a public appeal to metal recyclers for assistance in identifying anyone trying to sell the stolen copper.
 
“We are actively seeking help from the recycling industry in fighting this particular crime,” Crawford said. “But the offer of a reward is open to any and all citizens who can provide the information necessary for a successful criminal prosecution. Getting that information may begin with an alert motorist who notices suspicious activity around highway lights and reports it to us. And their identities can be kept confidential.”
 
KYTC Acting Inspector General Mike Duncan said no one except an authorized work crew should be accessing interstate lights. “And a legitimate crew will be easy to recognize,” Duncan said.
 
Work crew personnel will be in clearly marked vehicles from KYTC or the cabinet’s two electrical maintenance contractors – Arrow Electric Co. and Davis H. Elliott Co. Contractor employees are likely to be working from a service truck, characterized by side-mounted bins, or a “bucket” truck. Vehicles will utilize flashing lights while at work.
 
In addition, workers will be wearing personal protection gear, including high-visibility attire and hard hats. They also are likely to have exercised some level of traffic control, such as orange traffic cones.
 
Those with information can report it in multiple ways:
 
· Call the KSP Hotline at 800-222-5555.
 
· Call Investigator Chuck Hines, KYTC Office of Inspector General, at 502-330-0441 or 502-564-0501.
 
· By confidential text message to 67281.
 
The majority of wire thefts have happened along I-64 closer to Louisville.
 
From KYTC, KSP

[Robert Piascik]

What a weird crime.

Granted, this stuff is probably unguarded but the theft would be witnessed by many people as it was taking place. All it would take is one passer-by to think something didn't look right. You'd have to have a truck and a crew and a planned, coordinated effort. Seems like a lot of risk to me, I guess I'll just put all that effort into legitimate business.

[Mike Sokol]

What a weird crime....

Seems like a lot of risk to me, I guess I'll just put all that effort into legitimate business.

Yeah, it does seem like a lot of work for not a lot of compensation. However, I've had the "fun" of running sound for a video crew that interviewed a bunch of criminals while in jail. The common element seemed to be that once someone ended up in jail for any reason (jacking a car, selling a little reefer, getting drunk and doing something stupid that gets someone else hurt, etc...) then it's nearly impossible to get a legitimate job. And jails are where you learn how to become a "real" criminal. Same problem for addicted drug users where many (or even most) well paying jobs nowadays require random drug testing of some sort. I don't know how they're going to work this into the states that now allow recreational pot smoking, but that's another problem.

At the risk of being "political" on this forum, it seems that locking up someone for a minor offense pretty much guarantees that they will have a very difficult time finding a legitimate job when they get out of jail. So perhaps they become copper thieves...

[Stephen Swaffer]

There are some good paying jibs available in the small town where I live.  The company has had billboards up, sign in the yard, radio ads, etc and they are likely the top blue collar employer in the county.  Yet, I know people in HR that have expressed frustration at how tight their rules are on things like this.  The problem is they do metal working, etc and have lot of ways to get hurt in the facility unless you follow the rules.  Someone who has proven they don't follow the rules (how many times do the rules get broken before you get caught?) is a bad risk-and even if they get hurt because they broke the rules-plant/OSHA or otherwise the company still pays for damages.  I know 2 people who received $10,000 + in compensation (not counting medical expenses) for partial loss of use of a thumb and both were injured while violating clear safety rules that were preached loud and clear on a constant basis.

Its a sad catch 22.   

[Thomas Lamb]

Monday, October 27, 2014

Copper theft from lighting systems is ‘literally highway robbery’; officials start crackdown

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky State Police are joining forces and offering a reward to attack a crime that is costing Kentucky taxpayers millions of dollars – theft of copper wire from highway lighting systems.
 
“The crime of copper wire theft from lights that illuminate our roadways is literally highway robbery of Kentucky drivers,” KSP Major Mike Crawford said at a news conference today. “This type of theft results in damage that far exceeds the salvage value of the wire.”
 
There have been 37 thefts of copper wire from interstate light fixtures along I-64 and I-75 in Kentucky.

Nancy Albright, deputy state highway engineer in charge of operations and maintenance, said KYTC engineers estimate that the thieves have caused at least $2 million in damages in the last four years. In 2014 alone, thieves have pillaged entrance and exit ramp lights on our interstate highways at least 37 times.
 
“The cost of replacing wiring and repairing vandalized lights comes from the cabinet’s highway maintenance budget,” Albright said. “In other words, motor-fuels tax money that Kentucky drivers pay at the pump – money that we need for such work as snow and ice removal, potholes and guardrail repair – instead has to be spent to remediate crime scenes.”
 
Also of concern is the safety of motorists. “Imagine the difficulty for a driver who has to navigate an interchange – possibly an unfamiliar interchange – in greater darkness,” Albright said.
 
To fight back, the two agencies today announced a reward of up to $2,500, paid from KYTC maintenance funds, for information leading to arrest and conviction of those responsible for copper wire theft from highway lights. They also joined in making a public appeal to metal recyclers for assistance in identifying anyone trying to sell the stolen copper.
 
“We are actively seeking help from the recycling industry in fighting this particular crime,” Crawford said. “But the offer of a reward is open to any and all citizens who can provide the information necessary for a successful criminal prosecution. Getting that information may begin with an alert motorist who notices suspicious activity around highway lights and reports it to us. And their identities can be kept confidential.”
 
KYTC Acting Inspector General Mike Duncan said no one except an authorized work crew should be accessing interstate lights. “And a legitimate crew will be easy to recognize,” Duncan said.
 
Work crew personnel will be in clearly marked vehicles from KYTC or the cabinet’s two electrical maintenance contractors – Arrow Electric Co. and Davis H. Elliott Co. Contractor employees are likely to be working from a service truck, characterized by side-mounted bins, or a “bucket” truck. Vehicles will utilize flashing lights while at work.
 
In addition, workers will be wearing personal protection gear, including high-visibility attire and hard hats. They also are likely to have exercised some level of traffic control, such as orange traffic cones.
 
Those with information can report it in multiple ways:
 
· Call the KSP Hotline at 800-222-5555.
 
· Call Investigator Chuck Hines, KYTC Office of Inspector General, at 502-330-0441 or 502-564-0501.
 
· By confidential text message to 67281.
 
The majority of wire thefts have happened along I-64 closer to Louisville.
 
From KYTC, KSP

3-4 months ago a guy trying to steal copper on the 408 in Orlando paid the price. He grabbed hold of s live wire and never let go.....

[Jonathan Johnson]

Granted, this stuff is probably unguarded but the theft would be witnessed by many people as it was taking place. All it would take is one passer-by to think something didn't look right. You'd have to have a truck and a crew and a planned, coordinated effort. Seems like a lot of risk to me, I guess I'll just put all that effort into legitimate business.

If you have PPE (hard hat, reflective vest) and a flashing amber light on a white pickup truck, you can get away with just about anything. People just don't seem to look for a logo.

Really, if you don't see an official logo on that truck, you might be witnessing a crime.

[Scott Holtzman]

I mentioned in another thread that these brainwaves will steal fiber causing major service disruptions. 

Would love to see the look on their face when they try and burn the insulation off. 

[Mike Sokol]

If you have PPE (hard hat, reflective vest) and a flashing amber light on a white pickup truck, you can get away with just about anything. People just don't seem to look for a logo.

Really, if you don't see an official logo on that truck, you might be witnessing a crime.

Nearly 40 years ago when I was in college we had a large money-changing machine next to the vending machines in the cafeteria. One day a white van pulled up outside and two guys in white coveralls walked in with a hand truck. They told the nice cafeteria lady they needed to take the money changing machine in for service, and without any paperwork rolled it out the door and loaded it on the truck. Later that day when the food services manager asked what happened to the money changing machine, it was discovered that these guys were "self employed" and had gotten away with a few thousand dollars in bills and coin. After that they put a big chain and padlock around the new money changing machine. 

All you need to steal stuff is some worn coveralls with boots, a hardhat, and the proper attitude. Oh, a "Not My Problem Generator" from Hitchhikers Guide would also be helpful.

[Stephen Swaffer]

All you need to steal stuff is some worn coveralls with boots, a hardhat, and the proper attitude. Oh, a "Not My Problem Generator" from Hitchhikers Guide would also be helpful.

Why work so hard?  Years ago I worked for a large retailer.  They would send management to stores in other towns to test other stores procedures by trying to shoplift.  My manager (remember he is not known in this store) relished the time he loaded a large TV (no fllat screens yet), VCR etc in a shopping cart and pushed it out-smiled and said "Have a good day" to the person at the front-while he ruined their day. On another occasion he made off with a riding mower.  He just wore casual clothes.  They broke up a shoplifting ring, and the claim was that each member of the ring was grossing over $100K a year from their "trade".

Still copper (or fiber) theft is really frustrating.  It only happened to me once-at best they got $30 scrap value in romex out of a home-but it took me a full day to repair the damage.

[Tim McCulloch]

3-4 months ago a guy trying to steal copper on the 408 in Orlando paid the price. He grabbed hold of s live wire and never let go.....

More copper thieves should have such outcomes...

[Steve M Smith]

If you have PPE (hard hat, reflective vest) and a flashing amber light on a white pickup truck, you can get away with just about anything.

This is similar to a method I read about on a photography forum for photographing people and architecture without being noticed.  The photographer wore a high visibility jacket and put the camera on a yellow surveyors' tripod and effectively became invisible as he looked as if he was supposed to be there.


Steve.

[Jeff Bankston]

the law has caught fake work crews stealing street light copper here. anytime a crew is seen the cops radio in while waiting for a reply from the utility. last year at night a fake work crew used a crane to remove all the heat pumps from the roof of the AutoZone about a mile from me. i saw the crew as i drove by and it was around 10 at night. i didnt think anything because i have done work in businesses after hours so we wouldnt disrupt their customers. about a week later is wne i found out when my landlord went to AutoZone.

[Joseph D. Macry]

More copper thieves should have such outcomes...

Last year while on grand jury duty, I saw the case of a man (homeless, with mental issues) who attempted to steal copper by snipping coolant ("freon") lines from A/C unit in back of a restaurant. We were told the suspect was in the hospital for freeze burns to his face.

[Scott Holtzman]

Some brain wave was in the process of stealing a gen set from a lift station with a tree spade.  I don't have all the details but someone thought it was odd enough to report.

I wonder how many cops would pick up on that?

[Mike Sokol]

This is similar to a method I read about on a photography forum for photographing people and architecture without being noticed.  The photographer wore a high visibility jacket and put the camera on a yellow surveyors' tripod and effectively became invisible as he looked as if he was supposed to be there.

Or just get an S.E.P. Field Generator.

BTW: There's a typo in the graphic below, but that's Somebody Else's Problem.

[Mike Sokol]

Another reason that copper thieves should be fully prosecuted.  Electricians can get hurt or killed replacing wiring they damaged for a few $$$ in scrap copper.

Nov 4, 2014 - Contractors Shocked Near Mine in West Virginia

One man was electrocuted while the other had serious injuries.

Two electrical contractors were shocked while replacing stolen copper wire near a mine in West Virginia. One man was electrocuted while the other had serious injuries, reported WTOV 9 News.

The contractors were working for American Electric Power when they came into contact with a live wire. They were near the Murray Energy McElroy Mine.

The incident, which occurred at shortly before 2:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, was near the mine site and investigators with the state Mine Office of Health Safety & Training were called in to investigate, according to a report from West Virginia Metro News.

[Frank DeWitt]

All you need to steal stuff is some worn coveralls with boots, a hardhat, and the proper attitude. Oh, a "Not My Problem Generator" from Hitchhikers Guide would also be helpful.

Years ago I worked as a field service rep for a company that sold fire alarm systems.  I found that there were two ways to get to the part of a large building I had to go to.  I could walk in, tell the receptionist who I was and why I was there and wait while she worked through the list of people who needed to be in the chain to let me in, or I could walk in and quickly and with a look of a person who knew exactly what I was doing go directly to the place I needed to be.  One took a lot less time.

I used this knowledge once when I was in a city that I might never be able to visit again and found that the museum I wanted to visit was closed.  I picked up a clip board and began my tour.  A security guard stopped me and asked if he could help me find something. I told him I had finished my work and was taking my time leaving because the place was so interesting.  He told my I hadn't  seen anything and spent the next couple of hours giving me the behind the scene tour.

[Jonathan Johnson]

If you have PPE (hard hat, reflective vest) and a flashing amber light on a white pickup truck, you can get away with just about anything. People just don't seem to look for a logo.

Really, I'm not advocating impersonating someone who seems to be authorized; just noting that it can be rather easy to gain trust just by looking like you're doing something official.

Today I was at my customer's facility. It is located inside of a larger industrial campus owned by a large corporation; my customer provides services to the Corporation. As part of documenting their network, I needed to take some pictures of the facility. I was nervous that the Corporation's security would take interest in my activity... but if they saw me, maybe my PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, hi-vis vest) made me look official enough.

[Scott Holtzman]

Really, I'm not advocating impersonating someone who seems to be authorized; just noting that it can be rather easy to gain trust just by looking like you're doing something official.

Today I was at my customer's facility. It is located inside of a larger industrial campus owned by a large corporation; my customer provides services to the Corporation. As part of documenting their network, I needed to take some pictures of the facility. I was nervous that the Corporation's security would take interest in my activity... but if they saw me, maybe my PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, hi-vis vest) made me look official enough.

I had an electrician buddy running a job at the mayo clinic some years ago.  I joked with him I could get one of the guards to help me load a portal imaging system on the truck if I acted official enough.

Good security doesn't just scan for things that don't look right.  They follow process.  I have a client that issued me a permanent vendor badge but the only entrance for guests requires you to scan your drivers license with the badge.  They are talking about adding biometric for the second authentication factor.  The guard is also supposed to look at the ID.

Badge printers are $500 or less I would hope that is not all that is required to walk off with a priceless are work.

[Stephen Swaffer]

Our pastor and a couple of his siblings and friends managed to get to POTUS  (George Bush, then) by simply starting to direct people that were coming to an event.  As an assistant youth pastor he was wearing a dark suit and fit right in  with other "officials" of course that feat doesn't seem quite as incredible in light of recent security breaches, but still it makes you wonder.

[Jonathan Johnson]

Good security doesn't just scan for things that don't look right.  They follow process.  I have a client that issued me a permanent vendor badge but the only entrance for guests requires you to scan your drivers license with the badge.  They are talking about adding biometric for the second authentication factor.  The guard is also supposed to look at the ID

Good security always verifies credentials. The guard that waves in the same guy day after day, year after year, may let in the guy whose access has been revoked. If security systems do not verify that credentials are valid each and every time, a trespassed person may gain entry without suspicion.

Computer security is the same way. When you log in to a computer, you receive a digital "token" that is valid for a period of time. As long as you have that token, you aren't required to authenticate to gain access to resources. The problem with this is that if a user's access is revoked, it doesn't truly become effective until the user logs out and the token is discarded. For Microsoft Exchange, this is one of the biggest issues that few administrators are aware of. If you terminate an employee and disable his account or change his password, that employee can still send email for a period of time -- some administrators have reported that it can be as long as two weeks -- via Outlook Web App or mobile devices due to cached tokens!

[Lyle Williams]

The needs of democracies, citizens, politics, and the personal security of politicians create inevitable conflicts.

A voter getting close enough to a politician to shake his/her hand isn't a security breach.

[ProSoundWeb Community]