Reward offered in copper theft

By Sonny Turner
sonny@athensnews-courier.com

May 17, 2008 08:47 pm

— Alfa Insurance is offering an additional $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction for the theft of copper from poultry houses, farm irrigation systems and other property in Alabama covered by an Alfa Insurance policy.
The theft of copper has been a problem in Athens and Limestone County for months. Investigators said new houses under construction and vacant mobile homes have become favorite targets of local copper thieves.
“Hardly a week goes by that we don’t have a copper theft somewhere in the county,” Limestone County Chief Investigator Stanley McNatt said earlier. “They steal the copper wiring, burn the rubber off it and take it to market to sell.”
McNatt said investigators believe many of the thefts here have been drug related where the thieves sell the copper for money to buy illegal drugs.
One of the Alabama Farmers Federation member benefits is a $1,000 reward offer for property theft.
“The theft of copper wiring and other valuable metals is growing, especially in our rural communities. Not only do the criminals that commit these acts cost our policyholders money, they often do thousands of dollars in damage to property and cripple the equipment and buildings farmers depend on for their livelihoods,” said Alfa Insurance and Alabama Farmers Federation President Jerry A. Newby, of Athens.
The $10,000 reward will be paid to the first person that furnishes information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons for the theft of copper taken from property in Alabama covered by an Alfa Insurance policy.
Alfa Insurance is the leading insurer of farms in the state. In recent months, dozens of farmers and other rural residents have reported copper theft.
Anyone with information related to the theft of copper is encouraged to contact local law enforcement officials.
Last year, the Alabama Farmers Federation led the support for a new law requiring buyers of scrap metal to require proper identification of the seller in an attempt to provide a better database for law enforcement officials.
Alfa Insurance contributed to this article