Copper may no longer be used to make Canadian coins, but thieves who target the valuable metal still cost British Columbians a pretty penny.
The rose-coloured hardware is found in electrical wiring, transformers and pipes, and can be sold for anywhere from $2 to $4 per pound — making homes, construction sites and public infrastructure a prime target for thieves.
The safety risks theft carries were made painfully clear earlier this year, when RCMP said theft-weakened copper gas lines in downtown Prince George caused an explosion that sent three people to hospital, one of whom sustained severe burns all over her body.
But despite B.C. Hydro
