Copper theft at Lincoln
Copper thieves cut wire from places like these and above-ground locations before pulling it out. (Lincoln Lion Tales)
On Monday, September 5th around 2-3AM, a group of thieves stole copper wire out of the Lincoln High School portables, causing power outages in the last 3 classrooms and an internet outage in the Lincoln Plus program. Thanks to the help of the SJUSD maintenance department, the wire was replaced in short order. “[…]isn’t the kind of thing that students [would commit],” said Principal Hewitson when asked on the subject, “[…]these are pros that are looking for that copper to resell.”
Security cameras have been up at Lincoln since the beginning of the school year as part of a measure H project, reports Lion Tales. Principal Hewitson believes that these new cameras will “[…] certainly help in the investigation.” The question remains, however: what’s encouraging these wire thefts? The answer could lie in recycling centers.
When asked about the price of copper wire, an unnamed manager of a local recycling center described a range of $1.40 a pound to $1.50 a pound depending on the wire type. Lion Tales attempted to contact the SJUSD maintenance department regarding the amount of copper wire that had been replaced, but did not receive a response. The closest recycling center to Lincoln High School is the Ranch Recycle center.
“All around the Bay Area there’s been [an increase in] copper theft,” said Principal Hewitson, mentioning that “We’re not the first school that had an issue.” According to the Principal, the San Jose Police were in the process of investigating the theft. “It’s a serious issue,” he said, “I’m hopeful that SJPD will bring them to justice.”
James Sobolov is a Senior at Lincoln high school. He currently serves as the co-editor-in-chief of the Lincoln Lion tales newspaper, and hopes to serve...
