Cable Theft - help required

Mark T · 18-10-2009, 09:53

Hello - Ive just joined and need some help.

All our neighbourhood lost their cable supply last week at it seems that it was due to some idiot stealing the cable feed to sell for its copper. Seemingly about 2,000 homes were affected.

I'm a insurance surveyor and remember that at a recent ABI meeting, we had a cop come to speak to us about new products. He talked alot about a new method of marking cable which they throught was great because he said the problem was they could find the stolen cable in a scrap yard but couldn't do anything because they couldn't prove it was stolen. This stuff changed all that because the theives couldn't burn it off.

But I can't remember its name!!! I want to tell VM about it because they said that BT, the Railways etc were already using it and it had reduced their thefts.

All I can remember - I was with somebody and wasn't paying that much attention at this point - is that it's a liquid, glows yellow under UV and contains a 'forensic fingerprint'(?) that can't be removed by the theives.

Can anybody point me in the right direction please?

Thanks

Phil

Bulky · 18-10-2009, 09:58

http://www.smartwater.com/Home.aspx

was it this ??

sorry swear filter doesn't like

google "smart water"

Kymmy · 18-10-2009, 10:00

Smart water isn't any good with cable thieves as it can be burnt away when they melt the cable down

Sir John Luke · 18-10-2009, 10:03

Surely that depends on whether the thieves melt it down, or sell to a scrap yard? The OP talks about being able to identify the cable in the scrap yard.

http://www.smar****er.com/Media-Cent...de-thefts.aspx

(Swear filter again, but you get the drift)

Kymmy · 18-10-2009, 10:04

Yeah but before they do they also burn away the insulation as then it's pure copper and worth more, copper with a plastic jacket is worth less..

papa smurf · 18-10-2009, 10:11

this new cable may or may not deter theft
but one thing is certain, no company is going to replace all its copper network to deter thieves ,cables are only replaced when the are no longer serviceable, so having a network of new cable would take a very long time to implement.

and as for smart water how do you get it on existing cable that is in under ground ducts ?

AbyssUnderground · 18-10-2009, 10:14

Burnt copper is also worth less than copper thats had the plastic removed by cutting it off, not burning. I know this stuff you speak of, as I saw it on BBC news a few months ago, but I didn't know it couldn't be burnt off. Can't remember the name either.

Taf · 18-10-2009, 11:39

Fluorescein dye ?

Mark T · 18-10-2009, 11:40

Yes, Smart Water, that's it - thanks everybody.

According to the cop, criminals hate it - they say so - so don't go near it...seems far-fetched but....

I'll investigate more and get back to you.

Cheers

Mark

18-10-2009, 12:09

Unless VM have changed the cable they use, then the thieves are gonna get very little money for the copper in the cables they stole.... Seeing as any cable I ever used was made with an aluminium stinger, with only several microns of copper over the aluminium.... Very minimal amount of copper....

papa smurf · 18-10-2009, 12:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl of Bronze

Unless VM have changed the cable they use, then the thieves are gonna get very little money for the copper in the cables they stole.... Seeing as any cable I ever used was made with an aluminium stinger, with only several microns of copper over the aluminium.... Very minimal amount of copper....

thats the coaxial

not the copper that joins dsa to street cab .

http://www.letsrecycle.com/prices/metals/ some prices insulated copper cable Â£1,000 per ton

infact looking at the prices for scrap i think im in the wrong end of the business .

Kymmy · 18-10-2009, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulkylad

http://www.smartwater.com/Home.aspx

was it this ??

sorry swear filter doesn't like

google "smart water"

URL now corrected and thanks to another mod & admin it shouldn't happen again

Sir John Luke · 18-10-2009, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir John Luke

Surely that depends on whether the thieves melt it down, or sell to a scrap yard? The OP talks about being able to identify the cable in the scrap yard.

http://www.smartwater.com/Media-Cent...de-thefts.aspx

(Swear filter again, but you get the drift)

Updated, thanks to Kymmy et al

**Maggy** · 18-10-2009, 13:20

Yep the copper theives are about.The main school I go to has all copper roofing(goes that really beautiful verdigris green colour) but there are gaps where the local chavvy yobby thieves have been nicking it...

18-10-2009, 14:23

We routinely have cables stolen where i live and while it is a stereotype i am afraid it is the two communitys of travellers that are responsible everytime also stealing the lead off an historic bell tower routinely as well. I am not sure there is any real 100% method for marking it so it can be identified after thieves have burnt it\cut it unless we are talking about minute marking of the copper strands something i would have thought that though possible would be very very expensive for any company to implement.