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Copper cables: massive thefts are increasing in France
Copper cables: massive thefts are increasing in France – (France 2)
With 7,500 cases recorded between January 2022 and March 2023, copper thefts are experiencing an unprecedented increase. Thieves mainly attack telephone network cables to resell them abroad.
Some call it red gold. Copper is presented as a source of easy money on social media. It is the subject of ever-increasing traffic. In Hauts-de-France, interventions are increasing for Orange teams to replace stolen cables. The thieves’ exceptional loot, 1,800 meters of cables, would impact around a hundred customers according to a specialist. In 2023, 1,200 kilometers of telephone cables were stolen from the operator.
Increasingly expensive prices
The price of copper continues to rise and the surge attracts traffickers. In 2020, a tonne cost 5,700 euros, compared to 8,200 in 2024. Faced with the phenomenon, the police are deploying significant resources. Last month, 200 gendarmes dismantled a network in the Lot. They seized weapons and eight tons of copper. Once stolen, copper is often cut up and resold abroad. Throughout France, thieves continue to hunt down the slightest copper filament.
