Utah AG investigators say copper thefts are rising after Salt Lake County bust

Richard Byatt, host of the Legally Speaking podcast, opened an episode with a summary of a Salt Lake County case in which detectives arrested four men connected to the theft of more than 10,000 pounds of copper, valued at roughly $147,000. He introduced James Russell, commander of the AG's case unit, and Megan Johnson, an agent with the state Bureau of Investigation, who described the case and broader theft trends.

"The copper value is pretty high right now," Johnson said, explaining why thieves find stealing wire and other metals lucrative. Russell and Johnson told the host that thefts are occurring at construction sites, electric vehicle charging stations, rail lines, power stations and from junction boxes on public streets, and that the losses and repair costs can far exceed the resale value of the metal.

Why it matters: investigators said thefts of this scale can damage critical infrastructure, interrupt public services (including EV charging availability) and raise repair costs for utilities and businesses. The Salt Lake County case stands out for the volume seized and the identifiable nature of the material, which prosecutors say makes it easier to tie buyers to stolen property.

Investigators described two overlapping profiles of perpetrators. "Drugs is really the driving force behind the theft," Russell said, characterizing many offenders as local individuals seeking quick cash to support addiction. Johnson added that some incidents are opportunistic ' cutting a junction box or stripping a small amount of wire ' while others involve crews, trucks or trailers and planning to move large quantities.

On charging, Russell said prosecutors consider the replacement cost and the resulting loss to victims when deciding counts. "If a construction company is building a house and they come and rip all the wire out, it's a whole lot more expensive to come back and fix all of that than it is what the thieves are gaining," he said. Charges can include trespass, burglary and theft; in repeated or organized cases, prosecutors may pursue a pattern-of-unlawful-activity theory akin to racketeering to increase penalties.

Resale channels complicate prosecution, Johnson said. Thieves commonly sell bare copper to metal shops and salvage yards for only a fraction of new material prices; she noted that in the month cited on the recording bright, shiny copper was "just over $30 a pound," compared with more than $4 a pound for new material purchased by construction firms. "Bringing buyers in is a little more difficult," she said, because bare wire is often indistinguishable, though uniquely identifiable items in the Salt Lake County case made buyer charges easier.

Both investigators described prior efforts with the recycling industry to reduce demand for stolen parts, including tougher laws around catalytic converter sales and outreach to scrap dealers. "Most of the metal recycling industry, they don't want to be buying stolen stuff," Russell said, noting the need to balance enforcement with legitimate business operations.

For property owners and contractors, investigators recommended deterrents and timely reporting: advertise and use surveillance, secure sites, and call police if suspicious activity is observed, especially at night or where workers or safety markers are absent. "If you don't see anything like that, you can always call it in," Johnson said.

The podcast closed with the host thanking the investigators and noting the AG's office is prosecuting the Salt Lake County case. The recording used the names "Camicot" and variants in referring to the theft location; the investigators did not provide an authoritative facility name during the episode.

The AG's office emphasized public reporting and industry cooperation as key tools in investigating and prosecuting these thefts.