Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers
 
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Old 01-24-2008, 02:50 PM   #1
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Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

Copper stripped from Somerset cell phone towers


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Thursday January 24, 2008, 2:14 PM


A spate of copper thefts from cell phone towers in a string of adjacent towns in Somerset County are being tied to the increasing value of the metal.
Eight separate incidents have been reported of copper grounding bars and copper wiring being stolen from cell phone towers, utility stations and constructions sites in Bridgewater, Somerville, Hillsborough and Montgomery all within a 10-day period, police said.
Area police departments are cooperating to stave off further thefts. Hillsborough Police Lt. Greg Harkins said copper has historically been a target of theft, especially in houses under construction, because it an expensive and easily recyclable metal. But the targeting of cell phone towers is new, Harkins said.
"As the metal rises in price, people want to steal it," Verizon Wireless spokesman David Samberg said.
It's getting crazy.

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Old 01-24-2008, 02:53 PM   #2
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

Can you hear me now?....
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Old 01-24-2008, 08:48 PM   #3
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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What? Huh? I can't hear you....
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Old 01-24-2008, 08:56 PM   #4
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

AT&T builds their towers out of aluminum and the locals scrap them as soon as the construction crews leave. We have vandals here that remove plumbing and wiring from homes under construction. It might be one plus for installing PET.
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:13 PM   #5
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

they should built the towers with conductor thats a worthless contaminated combination of alloys that are not recyclable. Pennies for instance are now made mostly of nickle to bring the cost of manufacturing them less than a penny..
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:17 PM   #6
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

Pennys are made from zinc and they cost $00.0167 to make. Does this make any kind of sense? The figure is from this week.
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:18 PM   #7
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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they should built the towers with conductor thats a worthless contaminated combination of alloys that are not recyclable. Pennies for instance are now made mostly of nickle to bring the cost of manufacturing them less than a penny..


How suitable would the conductor be for it's purpose then?
What size conductor would then be needed?
Would a conductor of that size be viable - in terms of installation and cost?
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:22 PM   #8
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

I see alot of new residential projects with a fence installed around the perimeter of the site. This seems to be a good idea to keep the vandals and thefts out. I worked on a panel install for a celltower once. The run was from the basement of an apartment building to the 12th floor (W. Orange, NJ). Imagine how much that copper cost? Single phase, 200 amp.
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:26 PM   #9
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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How suitable would the conductor be for it's purpose then?
What size conductor would then be needed?
Would a conductor of that size be viable - in terms of installation and cost?
Power transmission lines are usually strung with steel reinforced aluminum. how suitable are they for their application?
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:30 PM   #10
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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Power transmission lines are usually strung with steel reinforced aluminum. how suitable are they for their application?
Heavy and a bitch to cut.

ASCR is some heavy duty metal.
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:34 PM   #11
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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Heavy and a bitch to cut.

ASCR is some heavy duty metal.

Make a smaller version of that and the thieves will get turned away at the recycling center. or get far less money to make it worthwhile.
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Old 01-24-2008, 09:39 PM   #12
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

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Pennys are made from zinc and they cost $00.0167 to make. Does this make any kind of sense? The figure is from this week.
[lewis black] You are correct and I was confusedddddd [/lewis black]
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Old 01-25-2008, 08:32 PM   #13
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Re: Copper Stripped From NJ Cell Phone Towers

At $2.30 a pound you'll be hard pressed to stop it, aluminum too is a prized stolen metal, at only .60 a pound ,for a decent aluminum ladder it buys a hit of crack, a sandwich and a 40oz .
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