It has been hotter than hell in the Montgomery, Alabama area. At least I am assuming hell can’t be this hot. Well in addition to the heat we are dealing with the rising theft of copper. This has resulted in air conditioning units being stolen right from under our noses as we sleep. 

A few days ago a lady realized that she was hot in the middle of the night. This wasn’t a sexual hot this was a heat related hot. Upon further investigation she noticed that her Air conditioner had been stolen as she slept. I went to the shoe shop in the Normandale Shopping Center the other day and the owner told me that someone had climbed on top of his roof and stolen his air conditioner unit during the night. 

Copper theft is occurring throughout the nation. This is true basically because the price of copper has tripled over the past two years as rapid industrialization in China and other upcoming economies increased demand and triggered similar crimes around the world. 

Copper thieves are stealing copper from residential houses, Churches, Businesses, and Hospitals etc. etc. There isn’t any place they won’t hit. This has become a lucrative business for the copper crooks. 

In May 2006, nonferrous scrap metal price lists are valuing copper between $2.40 and $3.00 a pound. That is double the rate from 2003. The price of Aluminum has also increased. All around America people are stealing for scrap metal: telephone wires, air conditioner coils, and old radiators. Thieves are also stealing aluminum gutters and copper downspouts from schools and churches.

What can we do about this crisis? We can encourage our local governments to enact ordinances regulating the purchase of these scrap metals. We must force scrap metal dealers to tighten their operations. If there wasn’t a market for the stolen metals the theft would decrease dramatically. 

This recent activity reminds me of one of my favorite Bible verses:

MATTHEW 6:19-24
19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.22 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good your whole body will be full of light. 23 but if your eyes are bad your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. NIV. 

If your treasure is on earth it is subject to being stolen by thieves. It is impossible to stop theft totally. So save a little of your treasure where thieves can’t break in and steal. Store a little in heaven!

In the words of my dad: “Stay away from the pig ears and fried pork chops.  Eat more fruits and vegetables.”

Greg Griffin is a free lance writer. You can read his previous articles by visiting his web page at www.greggriffin.com or write to him at P.O. Box 250194 Montgomery, Alabama 36125-0194.