Copper Thefts Putting Lives In Danger

In Great Britain, The Argus reports:

• Thieves risked causing a huge gas explosion after they ripped copper piping connected to the mains supply off walls of houses. Firefighters were called to properties ... after neighbours smelled gas leaks. Police believe the thefts are down to the high price currently being offered for copper by scrap merchants.

[...]

• A spokeswoman for company Scotia, which has responsibility for the gas network in the South, said: "There has been a recent spate of problems happening to households where the copper pipe that comes out of the gas meter has been ripped off the wall to be sold for profit. Our involvement is that we go out to make everything safe as the pipes are owned by the householders. We are only called because it's an uncontrolled gas leak as the pipes are ripped off the walls. It's an extremely dangerous situation because they are just ripping the pipes off the wall. It just takes somebody to throw a cigarette away or smoke near it for it to be an issue of safety."

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