NCSO News

Copper, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel and scrap iron have become the desired target of thieves looking to make a quick dollar. An increase in demand for these metals from Asian markets such as China and India has created a thriving international scrap trade, resulting in much higher prices.

Of particular concern is copper, now selling for approximately $4,400 a ton, up 50% since the beginning of 2009. Copper theft often includes gutters, flashings, downspouts, water lines and electrical wiring that can be quickly stripped from vacant buildings, industrial facilities, commercial buildings and construction sites. Air conditioning units are particularly attractive, and are often tampered with or stolen for their copper coils and pipes that connect to HVAC systems. The metal is then sold to recycling companies and scrap yards for a huge profit.

Metal theft is a real problem that tends to be underestimated and while the economy struggles, metal theft is expected to increase as people become desperate for any kind of income. Vacant buildings and homes under construction are huge targets for thieves.

A painful lesson for businesses

The Nolan County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in burglaries in the Rural Nolan County areas. More recently, burglaries of vacant buildings, industrial facilities, commercial buildings and construction sites have been reported and are currently being investigated.

It has been found that wily thieves use a variety of methods to locate and steal metals. Some pose as renovation contractors while stripping copper from construction sites and vacant homes. Others use a buddy method for stealing, with one person driving a getaway truck and the other grabbing the metal. A few resourceful criminals have even used the internet to identify large amounts of metal stored outdoors.

Regardless of the method, the cost of metal theft to business owners nationwide is staggering. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that losses from copper theft alone cost the U.S. economy about $1 billion a year.

Having adequate property insurance is critical, especially if your business uses any of the higher risk metals, like copper or aluminum. The theft of $100 worth of copper might cost you $10,000 or more in repairs, lost productivity and profits in addition to the replacement cost of the metal.

Preventing metal theft

To combat the metal theft problem, at least 28 states and scores of municipalities around the country have passed laws tightening the restrictions on scrap dealers. In some instances, purchases of scrap metal are required to be held in reserve for a week or more before being resold in case it has been stolen. Some states require dealers to record the seller’s name, address and driver’s license.

Still, the best defense is to prevent metal theft at the source!

In an effort to discourage criminal activity and or identify criminal suspects, Sheriff David Warren encourages home and business owners to consider the following measures to reduce your risk:

• Install a security camera with video recorder and keep recordings for a sufficient period.
• Secure all equipment in locked buildings, or in well-lit areas secured by fencing. Better yet, use a perimeter security system with contact alarms or motion detectors, or install a 6-foot perimeter fence with barbed wire at the top (as allowed by local rules, regulations or standards) and gates with locks to avoid theft of common scrap metals, such as copper, nickel, stainless steel and others.
• Post “No Trespassing” placards around the property or signs indicating the presence of a video surveillance or security system to deter thieves. Even with non-active systems, these signs tend to discourage some instances of metal theft.
• Remove access to buildings and roofs. Eliminate items that allow for easy entry to buildings, such as trees, ladders, scaffolding, dumpsters and accumulated materials such as pallet piles.
• Secure your building access with deadbolts, and door and window locks.
• Trim or remove shrubbery or other landscaping that allows criminals to hide from view on your property.
• Mark metals with the company’s name using paint, hard-to-remove decals or engraving equipment.
• Make sure someone is present when supplies such as copper wiring or pipe are delivered at a job site so the materials can be immediately secured.
• Don’t receive supplies earlier than you need them. The longer metal is onsite and unused, the longer it’s at risk of theft.
• Develop a relationship with local law enforcement. Ask for their guidance in preventing metal theft at your business and what to do in the event a theft occurs.
• Increase lighting outside, and protect fixtures (such as AC units) with locked metal cages.
• Create a master list or inventory of all of your equipment and bulk metal (if applicable) and include pictures. Providing the list to your agent and the authorities might help in recovering the items.
• Talk with your insurance agent. Make sure you have adequate insurance to cover metal theft, and be sure to update your agent as your business changes. For example, if your building becomes partially or fully vacant, your coverage may change without you realizing it.

If a metal theft does occur, call the police immediately so that local recyclers and scrap dealers are alerted. Be sure to preserve the crime scene, including tire tracks, shoe tracks and fingerprints. This evidence could be used to help identify and prosecute the thieves if they are caught.

Roscoe, Highland and Blackwell Schools start on Monday, August 27, 2012, and the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists to use extra caution and obey speed limits, particularly in residential neighborhoods and school zones.

Many young students will walk or ride bicycles to school or to the bus stop, older students will drive themselves to school for the first time this year and will be sharing the road and parking lots with many other new drivers as well as pedestrians, therefore it is important and encouraged that all motorists and young drivers be vigilant and never allow distractions to take their eyes off the road. Put away your cell phone and don’t talk or text while driving! Watch for children at intersections, on curbs and in crosswalks and take extra care when entering and exiting driveways and alleys.

Beware of children darting out from between parked vehicles.

Motorists, use caution when following or approaching a school bus, especially near bus stops. Do not pass a school bus, motorists must stop for all school buses when the stop sign is out and or lights are flashing. This is true even if the bus is on the opposite side of the street.

Deputies will strictly enforce all traffic laws near schools, giving citations that carry greater fines than regular speeding infractions.

“Let’s work together to protect our children so that they have a safe and enjoyable school year.”

On Sunday, August 12, at approximately 5:30am, NCSO deputies, along with Sweetwater police and fire units, responded to a single vehicle crash involving an overturned tractor-trailer that was blocking both northbound lanes of travel on US84 near county road 138.

It was found, that the tractor-trailer tanker, loaded with milk and traveling southbound on US84, left the roadway and as a result, overturned, then came to a rest partially in the median while blocking both northbound lanes of travel. A short time later, a small passenger vehicle, traveling northbound, drove onto the crash scene and as the driver attempted to avoid a collision, subsequently went into a skid and left the roadway.

Both drivers sustained minor injuries and were transported to the Rolling Plaines Emergency room by Sweetwater Ambulance Service. Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Robert Regan later arrived and conducted a traffic crash investigation. Texas Department of Transportation and Roscoe Volunteer Firemen also arrived and assisted in traffic control while the tractor-trailer and debris was removed from the area; thereafter the Health Department arrived and conducted a clean-up of the spilt product.

Area officers from the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetwater Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety were trained over the last two days in high performance tactical police driving maneuvers.  Four specialized driving instructors, all Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety and one intern came to Sweetwater to offer the instruction that covered two days, Monday, July 9 and Tuesday, July 10.

The instructors for this course were Texas DPS Troopers from Eastland, Graham, Plainview and Brownwood who really put on a top notch school and challenged the participants.  The City of Sweetwater and Avenger Field Airport were gracious to allow us to utilize a portion of the airport for this training.  TSTC provided a classroom and the local TXDOT office provided the orange traffic cones, most of which survived the two day encounter.”

Daniel Olds, with Stamford Police Department, received the “Top Driver” award for Monday’s session and Sgt. Todd Jones, with Sweetwater Police Department, received the award at the conclusion of Tuesday’s session.

“I certainly want to express my appreciation to local DPS Sergeant James Arnwine and NCSO Chief Deputy David McDonald for orchestrating and organizing this very beneficial training.  Our NCSO Deputies truly gained a great deal of knowledge of what the limitations are on a variety of police vehicles.  It was really nice to see the cooperation and joint effort with members of the Sweetwater Police Department, our NCSO Deputies and some local area Texas DPS Troopers all participating together.” said Sheriff David Warren.

“Unfortunately, many peace officers in Texas lose their lives every year in police vehicle related incidents.  I felt it was vital to provide our personnel with this type of training to help better equip them for high performance police driving situations, so they will be safer when that type of driving is required of them” said Sheriff David Warren.

Effective on April 1, 2012; Civil Process/DARE Deputy Angie Collier has been promoted to the position of Criminal Investigator, Transport Deputy Eli Cunningham to Civil Process/DARE Deputy and County Jailer Daniel King to Patrol Deputy. Deputy Collier has been assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, a sergeant level position where she will be responsible for investigating misdemeanor and felony level crimes including homicide, robbery, burglary, sex offenses, high level assaults, narcotics violations, and crimes against children. Collier joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2005 and has worked in the Patrol Division, Civil Process Service and D.A.R.E. Educational Program.

“I am very pleased that Deputy Collier has agreed to accept the Criminal Investigator’s position. That particular position is likely the most challenging and time consuming job in the Sheriff’s Office, but I know Angie is very capable and will do her absolute best,” said Sheriff Warren.

Deputy Cunningham has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office since 2006 and has worked in both the Patrol and Transport Divisions. Cunningham also serves as a weapons trainer and firearms proficiency officer.
“I am confident that Deputy Cunningham will do an excellent job at keeping both of those functions running very smoothly and I want to emphasize that I intend to keep the DARE program going in Roscoe, Highland and Blackwell schools just as we have for the past 15 years” said Sheriff Warren.

Deputy King has been assigned to the Patrol Division and upon the successful completion of the FTO training program; he will assume the duties of a Patrol Deputy and will be tasked with the coverage of approximately 914 square miles of rural Nolan County including over 1,000 linear miles of improved county roads, lakes, residences and businesses located outside the incorporated city limits.

Deputy King has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office since 2012 and had previously been assigned to the Jail Division as a County Jailer.

“Deputy King came to us from Taylor County and he already had his Texas Peace Officer’s license. Daniel has done a superb job in the jail for the last year and a half and I’m sure he will make a really fine Deputy” said Sheriff Warren.