A barrel of #2 copper worth $1,500 was stolen from Winfield Iron and Metal in Winfield. The theft was reported to local police Friday, according to assistant police chief Brett Stone.
With the rising cost of copper, copper theft is a rapidly growing problem across the nation and especially for cooperatives that have experienced copper thefts from poles and substations. A number of thefts have occurred in the Wichita area.
Kansas was one of four states that passed new legislation to prevent copper theft, according to Stone. The new law went into effect July 1 and puts more responsibility on salvage dealers to identify sellers of scrap materials.
A similar law was passed to cope with the over-the-counter purchase of Sudofed, a decongestant used to produce illegal and highly addictive methamphetamine.
Anyone wanting to purchase Sudofed must show a driver’s license and sign a log book. Stone said anyone wanting to purchase copper must also now sign a log book.
