Brazen copper thieves risk lives, cost thousands, demolition experts say

Copper theft in Perth has become increasingly brazen, with thieves targeting vacant buildings and demolition sites, leading to substantial financial losses for property owners and leaving infrastructure damaged. Steve King, managing director of a demolition company, reported that up to 80 percent of their demolition sites experience copper theft in the past five years.

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Over the past five years, on up to about 80 per cent of our demolition sites, people get in and they'll steal copper.

"They'll take brass and other minor items, but mainly copper, water pipes, heater pipes, anything they can get hold of, because it's easy cash," King told ABC Radio Perth. The thieves often strike shortly after demolition permits are issued, or even before if a property appears vacant. This has significantly impacted the demolition industry, as companies can no longer factor the value of scrap copper into their bids, a practice common in previous years.

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They'll take brass and other minor items, but mainly copper, water pipes, heater pipes, anything they can get hold of, because it's easy cash.

"Nowadays, we don't allow anything for the value of copper in our projects," King explained. The value of copper can range from $500 to $1,000 for a typical house, and $5,000 to $100,000 for a commercial building. The increased profitability has led to extreme risk-taking, with thieves cutting live electrical cables and entering unstable, fire-damaged structures. They also expose themselves and others to health hazards, such as asbestos, by mishandling materials during thefts.

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Nowadays, we don't allow anything for the value of copper in our projects.