Copper theft and other crime

This is an integral part of collapse.

We have had our own local theft of copper - in Lower Hutt, New Zealand “thieves posed as tradesmen and made out to tenants in the Housing NZ apartment blocks where they ripped out and stole copper piping, that it was ‘all good’, they were meant to be there and not to worry about the noise!”  


It is going on all the time, but it is hard to find reference to it in the New Zealand media

Massive leap in US metal theft claims

Recycling National,

March 23, 2012 

United States: Metal theft insurance claims increased by more than 80% in the USA when comparing figures for 2009-11 with those for the preceding three years - with some 25 083 claims lodged as compared to 13 861 in 2006-08, it is confirmed in a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

The document reveals that in excess of 96% of the insurance claims related to thefts of copper. In addition to the frequency, it emerges from the NICB report that the severity of the thefts has also increased.

Due to this, traffic controls at many busy intersections have been rendered inoperative and numerous highways have been plunged into darkness. Even the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reacted to this crime wave, stating publicly: ‘Copper thieves are threatening US critical infrastructure and present a risk to both public safety and national security.’

ANZ Bank says it is still trying to find out how much money hundreds of customers have lost in an ATM scam.

Radio New Zealand,

26 March 2012

ANZ Bank says it is still trying to find out how much money hundreds of customers have lost in an ATM scam.

It says fraudsters attached equipment to four machines in Auckland to read information on customers' cards, in a practice known as skimming.

ANZ National Bank says scammers are constantly updating their tactics to try to keep ahead of ATM security.

ANZ managing director of retail Kerri Thompson says an investigation is underway and the bank is checking all its machines to insure no others have been targeted.

Ms Thompson says while the bank cannot confirm how many people have been affected, it can say it is in the hundreds.

She says the amount of money stolen is unknown at this stage.

Ms Thompson says those who have lost money will be reimbursed.

She say the bank is contacting customers as more information comes to light.