LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A major recycling company in the Las Vegas Valley gave FOX5 an inside look at how they spot suspected copper thieves and alert law enforcement.
SA Recycling helped Metro Police launch its Copper Theft Task Force 15 years ago when copper thefts ran rampant at construction sites. The company tells FOX5, four years ago, it also helped Metro Police ramp up its efforts to crack down on criminals when they turned to a new target: streetlights.
Leadership showed FOX5 how they help provide officers a digital profile of any suspected thieves. Sellers automatically have to provide a copy of their ID, fingerprint, and address. The business also documents every sale with photos and video of the copper and metal brought by individuals.
If someone seems suspicious, the business can capture surveillance of the individual, surveillance of their vehicle, and also send that information to law enforcement.
“We all want to make sure that we’re playing a part to make sure that these bad people are put away,” said Saul Haro, the regional general manager for SA Recycling. The company worked with the newly-formed regional Copper Theft Task Force to create a Valley-wide ordinance to deter the sale of stolen copper.
“We train our employees to know what to look for,” Haro said. “The reason they will purchase some of these things is so there is a lead for detectives to be able to follow,” he said.
What are red flags to detect a possible theft? Haro said signs include possession of seven-strand copper wire, (typically used by municipalities for streetlights) items with the serial number scratched out, brand new copper (a typical sign of a possible theft from a construction site), and evasive answers from sellers.
Haro has advice for residents and businesses: if you have an AC unit, radiator or item with copper that is a typical target of theft, make sure to take a photo, write down the serial number, and paint a “marker” for police to identify in case of theft.
The next step for stopping copper thieves: legislation in the 2025 legislative session.
Warren Hardy, a former Nevada state lawmaker who represents SA Recycling, is working on a statewide solution for the next legislative session: a proposed law to make possession of stolen copper illegal. Lawmakers passed a similar law in 2023 to curb the thefts of catalytic converters.
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