The run-up in copper prices in recent years was a windfall for our industry’s tubing producers and distributors. But what went way, way up  is coming down just as hard and fast. Distributors now sitting on large speculative inventories are cursing their bad luck and market timing.

Word of tumbling prices apparently hasn’t yet reached a bunch of thieves working the Chicago North Shore area, judging from these recent accounts in the Chicago Tribune.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-copper-thefts-blotter-nnwoct29,0,1144439.story

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-highland-park-blotter-13-nov13,0,1227027.story

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-winnetka-copper-15-_nov15,0,5241992.story

Reading these stories made me wonder, are the thieves:

A.  So stupid they don’t realize the risks they’re taking have begun to outpace the potential rewards?

B.  Stealing low in the hope of selling high?

If the latter, they may have more business savvy than some distributors!

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