Because of the profitable market, the Tulare County Sheriff's Office says copper crimes could spot an uptick.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 1:27AM
Described arsenic the champion one-day summation since 1989, copper commercialized is present astir $5.70 per pound.
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Described arsenic the champion one-day summation since 1989, copper commercialized is present astir $5.70 per pound.
A 13% leap this weekend, aft President Donald Trump said determination would beryllium a 50% tariff connected copper imports to the US.
84 Recycling successful Visalia has felt the interaction successful caller times.
"It has skyrocketed this past year, conscionable due to the fact that of the demand. Right now, the terms of copper and recycling is the highest it has ever been," says Owner, Courtney McCarthy.
Courtney continues, "So we are conscionable selling arsenic rapidly arsenic we are buying but it's besides unstable truthful everybody is buying frightened truthful cipher knows what's gonna happen. So close present what we are doing is we are getting it successful arsenic rapidly arsenic we are shipping it out. Because there's conscionable nary guarantee."
Almost fractional of the copper utilized successful the U.S. is imported, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Copper is among the apical 3 metals used, pursuing robust and aluminum and it is cardinal to electrical wiring.
Because of the profitable market, the Tulare County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) says copper crimes could spot an uptick.
"It's devastating for our farmers. I was conscionable with a husbandman the different time who was deed 3 times, astatine the aforesaid pump site, 3 abstracted times successful a 12-month period. He spent $120,000 not connected the nonaccomplishment of the copper but successful the harm successful the theft," explains Cpt. Rader with the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.
TCSO is urging farmers to unafraid their properties.
Cpt. Rader says their connection to thieves is, "The Tulare County Sheriff's Office has the astir experienced and the astir assertive ag transgression portion and determination is simply a precocious probability that we are gonna find you and apprehension you."
TCSO besides mentions legislation, specified arsenic Prop 47 and 57, person made it hard to clasp criminals accountable, galore of which are repetition offenders.
They impulse anyone who whitethorn person accusation connected copper thieves to scope retired to them.
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