Full Metal Racket: Metal Thieves Take On The Water Industry

As the metals market heats up, metal theft has become a frequent headache for water utilities.

This spring, in Delaware, "two unidentified men broke into a storage trailer at United Water near Newport and stole $800 worth of scrap water meters," Delaware Online reported, citing state police.

"The suspects took the meters from the storage unit on 2000 First State Boulevard about midnight, State Police Master Cpl. Jeffrey Hale said. The suspects fled in an unknown direction," the report continued.

Many water utilities face this kind of theft. As a result, some are implementing new prevention policies.

In April, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) did just that. The decision came after an employee, who was part of the meter-reading team, stole metal from the utility in a scheme that his wife helped him execute.

"Albino Ortiz, 34, and his wife, Maria Zuniga-Ortiz, 32, were taken into custody, each on six counts of theft," KSAT reported.

"The affidavit stated that [an] investigator noticed someone had sold a large amount of brass water meters and water meter parts to the local business during an eight-year period beginning in 2006. Later, he determined that the couple was responsible," the report said.

Anne Hayden, spokeswoman for SAWS, stressed that the utility is not alone in facing this problem.

"Unfortunately, this is a situation, not only here in San Antonio and not just with SAWS, but across the country,” she said, per the report. "With the metals market right now, there's a problem with theft of brass and copper, anything that can be resold."

She said the utility is rolling out new policies to prevent similar incidents in the future. "We work daily with the police department, as well as looking at implementing different loss-prevention policies," she said.

In some places, policymakers are trying to protect water utilities from metal theft. Ohio is implementing new rules this year to prevent businesses from getting targeted.

"As part of Ohio’s Scrap Metal Law (S.B. 193), passed in summer 2012, use of searchable electronic lists and the Dealer Daily Transaction Database will become required for scrap metal dealers starting" this year, the Newark Advocate reported.

"The 'Do Not Buy List' consists of names and other related information of individuals who have been convicted of theft offenses. Scrap metal dealers will use the resource to ensure they are in compliance with Ohio law and it is also available to law enforcement officials to assist in investigations," the report continued.