Where Are Their Scruples? Thieves Steal Copper from Windfarm
by Christine Lepisto, Berlin on 11.11.06
The Brandenburg Police report they have caught three men and a woman suspected of stealing copper from windmills in the Havelland near Berlin in Germany. 10 to 14 tons of copper wire were stripped out of 21 windmills by the thieves. The windmill operator is estimated to have suffered around 225 000€ ($270,000) of damages from the copper which brought the thieves somewhere between 28 - 49 000€. A waste metal dealer who stood to profit by reselling the copper on the open market at about 100 000€ value will also face charges in the case. What were these guys thinking targeting a sector so beneficial to society? Where are their scruples?
The thieves broke into the windmills and turned the power off, before climbing 25 to 30 meters up to cut the copper out. The thieves either ignored or were ignorant of the potential for fatal electrical shock which remains even after the primary power is cut to the windmills. After catching two men red-handed, over 70 officials were involved in a raid on houses, garages and barns in the area to collect evidence and identify the rest of the band of law breakers. In a land with strong social support structures, few will find any easy excuse acceptable for the crime.
Windfarm operators say that security on the windmills will be upgraded. It was not foreseen that someone would attempt so heinous and dangerous a crime, so the normal locking systems were considered sufficient. Now doors and locks will be reinforced, even motion detectors may be installed. What next: TreeHugger needs to write a guide to greening illegal activities?
Via: Der Tagesspiegel and Brandenburg Police report (German only)
Think their scruples are on de same level as of those who slow down green energy development because of the profits in de oil and gas biz.
Only difference is when the latter have to face charges we all do..
Around here, the copper bandits are cutting live power lines...if they have no reguard for their own lives, we cannot expect them to have any scruples. Shame works on them about as well as it works on murderous gang members.
Not really that different than Iraqi's climbing high tension lines to steal the wire for scrap.
Or people stealing AL siding off houses.
It's there, and it's ungaurded, they don't give a flying f**k that it's a windmill.
Outrageous! I'll bet those thieves don't drive a Prius, either.
What's curious about this, is that the author seems to believe the 'heinous' thieves lack scruples because they stole wire from a windfarm -- not simply because they are, you know, um ... thieves.
"In a land with strong social support structures, few will find any easy excuse acceptable for the crime."
Whereas, if welfare weren't as readily available as it is in Germany, theft would be easily acceptable and excusable?
I'm really having trouble comprehending the author's mindset.
I'm really having trouble comprehending the author's mindset.
And many here have trouble understanding why people like you come here to "educate" Treehuggers, when you clearly don't care about these issues.
huh???
You mean you are shocked because thieves don't have scruples! Oh, my, this is too funny...
I guess it would have been OK if the thieves were stealing from the big bad "rich" people and not the poor defenseless green power company. Sorry kids, robin hood was not a nice man, niether is the scum bag who steals from the windmill man.
Sounds to me like Germany needs to spend more on social welfare programs. Perhaps something like Algore's midnight basketball.
They need to give them more money and keep them off the streets to prevent this kind of thing.
I am worried that this is part of a trend to sabotage the fight against global warming. Or golbal cooling, Or climate change. Whatever the term de jour is.
John Henry