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Penalty increases for scrap metal thieves a bust; better police tactics needed more than harsher penalties

Increasing penalties for stealing small amounts of copper and other industrial metals have done nothing to slow the rate of thefts in the Merroplex, reported the Dallas News ("Dallas detectives battle metal thieves," May 31):From 2005 to 2007, metal thefts in Dallas jumped 227 percent. In 2006, Dallas police reported 2,415 metal thefts. In 2007, they reported 3,339. And through the first three months of this year, police reported 691.Meanwhile, thefts across North Texas cost Oncor Electric Delivery about $1 million in losses last year, company spokeswoman Carol Peters said. Various deterrents, including increased surveillance, seem to have slowed the crimes, though the company still estimates $250,000 in theft-related losses so far this year, she said...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on June 03, 2008 (boomark / email).