$4807.50 worth of cable, wire, copper stolen from yard

Theft of fuel and metals in Oamaru appear to be tracking high global commodity prices.

The Network Waitaki yard in Chelmer St was the most recent target, with $4807.50 worth of conduit cable, wire and conductor copper wire reported missing on Thursday, Oamaru police said.

Two males were reportedly seen rolling cable in the yard on Thursday morning after gaining entrance by cutting the chain on the gate.

Police also received a report that copper piping had been taken from the Loan and Merc restaurant some time in the past six months.

In another theft, a hose reel and $400 worth of diesel were recently taken from a service station in Thames St.

Police are investigating both cases, as well as two minor petrol thefts from different Oamaru petrol stations over the weekend.

A total of 53 litres of petrol was also stolen on September 23 from a garage in Kakanui, and a further 40 litres of petrol was taken from a vehicle parked near Kakanui Bridge on Tuesday last week.

Community Constable Bruce Dow said that the theft of copper, in particular, had been a nationwide problem for at least the last two years as the price of copper had increased.

Const Bow urged people with scrap metal to "get rid of it" - especially farmers, who often had plenty of it lying around their properties.

Hot-water cylinders, guttering and down pipes had all been targeted in Oamaru recently, Const Dow said.

ben.guild@odt.co.nz

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