Print Page 9/20/2010

PARADISE, CALIF.: Talk radio station KKXX-AM is asking anyone with knowledge about last week’s copper theft to contact the station.

The incident marks­ the second time in two years copper thieves have struck the Butte Broadcasting Co. transmitter site in Paradise. This time, the perps stole about 22,000 feet of No. 10 wire, which was apparently bundled into lengths of 10 to 20 feet, reported the Oroville Mercury-Register.

Manager Andrew Palmquist said the station was able to remain on the air. “They apparently knew what they were doing,” Palmquist told the newspaper. “They left just enough wire to allow us to broadcast.”

He told the paper the thieves took a back road to the tower, avoiding a locked gate.

After the first wire theft in 2008, Palmquist said copper grounding wires were replaced and a concrete footing was poured about every 10 to 15 feet along the length of the wire in hopes of discouraging future thefts; however this time, the thieves cut and removed the wires between the concrete, according to the account. The station reported the theft to the local sheriff's office.

According to scrapcopperprices.net, scrap copper is fetching between $1.22 and $2.75 a pound. -- from Radio World

Related:
“Radio Is More Prepared This Time” (June 2010)   Print Page