UTE driver accused of copper stealing hammer housing market

A UTE driver allegedly stole copper ditches from buildings listed on the Queensland Conservation Park’s heritage, an incident highlighting a surge in copper thefts nationwide that wreaked havoc on heritage and construction projects.

Rangers at Cape Pallarenda Conservation Park, 10 kilometers northeast of Townsville, were warned of “suspicious activity” and found that the park’s World War II-era defenses had been damaged and copper was stripped of.

The park also has a 1915 quarantine platform, an important historical site, and theft caused anger among the authorities.

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Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services administrator Joe Jess said the damage to heritage buildings not only hurts the state’s history, but also puts a financial burden on taxpayers as it now requires expensive repairs.

“We urge the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the QPW or the Queensland Police Department,” he told Yahoo News.

“Reports can play a key role in protecting our parks and facilities and ensure criminals are held accountable.”

The 30-year-old will face multiple charges when appearing in court this week, including intentional damage.

Copper theft in Queensland

The Cape Pallarenda incident is part of a wider crisis sweeping the country.

Copper theft has surged in recent years, with construction sites, homes and public infrastructure increasingly being criminals trying to profit from valuable metals.

According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, in Queensland alone, the crime has doubled since 2020.

Electricians and builders are the brunt of theft, which has caused huge delays and financial pressure on new home construction projects.

Jay Kinnell, a Melbourne electrician who works in housing development, said he was targeted by copper thieves just five times this year.

“The guys with air conditioning are flooded, but electricians are probably the worst because our cables are worth the most money, and that’s the easiest thing to do,” Kinnell told Yahoo News.

In a recent incident at a construction site in Preston, Melbourne, thieves stripped copper wire from half-finished homes, forcing Kinnell to redo the work at a discount to help builders absorb the losses.

Although the theft is often covered by the builder’s insurance, financial and time costs still seriously affect merchants.

“We are losing some of the losses locally, but it will certainly bring us ‘off-and-off repairs’,” he said.

National epidemic

Copper theft is not limited to construction sites.

Public infrastructure and heritage characteristics have also become targeted.

In June, a major Queensland highway fell into darkness after road lighting infrastructure was affected by copper theft.

Last month, CCTV footage captured a disguised thief with a cardboard box stole $40,000 worth of copper wire and equipment from the Ballarat construction site.

In Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, a business lost $300 worth of copper pipes from underneath the house.

The high scrap metal value of copper makes it an attractive target for criminals who sell it in fast cash in unregulated scrap yards or online markets.

The Australian Institute of Criminology estimates that metal theft causes economic losses of more than $100 million per year.