Oklahoma community aims to reduce copper wire theft

The Tulsa City Council, Tulsa, Oklahoma, has discussed a potential ordinance to crack down on copper wire theft, according to reports from KJRH-TV, Tulsa.

KJRH-TV reports that the ordinance would not allow scrap yards to buy four-gauge or larger copper wiring from individuals without an exemption. Also, the ordinance would require scrap yards to get a copy of the seller’s government-issued identification and take photos of the material they are buying. 

Copper theft has been an ongoing issue in Tulsa—the city had passed a similar ordinance last January in an effort to deter copper theft, according to a January 2017 report from KOTV, Tulsa. The city had worked to replace copper wire with aluminum, and it made access doors to the wire more tamper-resistant, KOTV reported.

Bruce Shive, production manager at Frailey’s Recycling, told KJRH-TV that an updated ordinance could help reduce theft in the city. He says he typically only sees this large of wiring come into his yard through contractors and seldom through individual sellers. 

He adds that his business also knows what to look for when it comes to sellers of stolen materials.

“They’ve always got some kind of a story,” he tells KJRH-TV regarding sellers of stolen materials. “You know just steer clear.”