August 31, 2005

Copper capers, part two

Earlier this month, staff writer Timothy Inklebarger wrote about an alarming increase in scrap metal thefts on the Near West Side ("Rough hustling in the industrial corridor," Aug. 17.) And indeed, the trend shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, especially with news reports of a sharp increase in metal prices worldwide.

This week, the owners of Economy Packing, 939 W. Fulton, reported to police a whopping $20,000 loss after thieves systematically stole copper piping from refrigeration units on the roof of their building. And our blotter this week details the copper-related arrests of Near West resident Vanessa Smith and her South Side co-conspirator, Charles T. Washington. Smith and Washington were nabbed with shopping carts filled with copper in Pilsen-another scrap metal theft hot spot-last week, near a construction site on 18th Street.