Copper Thieves Swipe Pipes From Remodeled, Vacant Home for Sale

Copper pipe valued at $900 was reported stolen from the basement of a remodeled, vacant home for sale in East Providence on Sunday, July 28.

East Providence police said the theft was reported by the contractor that remodeled the house at 3509 Pawtucket Ave. in Riverside. The theft is believed to have occurred between July 16-17. 

The theft of copper is the most recent one reported to East Providence police. Copper has a high market value and is a target for thieves who want to sell it for quick cash to secondary metal recyclers.

Vacant and abandoned houses are prime targets for copper thieves, who take pipes, gutters, wiring and even air-conditioning units. Copper theft is seen as a $1 billion a year industry in the U.S. by the federal energy department.

New legislation recently signed by Gov. Chafee after passage in the General Assembly this year could help to thwart copper thieves in RI. At least the new Copper Theft Prevention Act could make it much harder to sell the stolen metal.

The act requires secondary metals recyclers to obtain a license from the Attorney General’s office to purchase certain types of metals.

The act also requires purchasers to obtain identification information from the sellers of metals, and establishes a procedure for purchasers to record transactions, keep those records on file for two years and present those records for inspection by any law enforcement agency seeking to review them.

Violators would be guilty of a misdemeanor and face a fine of up to $500 and/or a year in prison. If the value of the property involved in the transaction exceeds $250, the monetary penalty can be raised to $1,000.

The law goes into effect on Dec. 31.