Taiwan says soaring copper prices have led to cable thefts

TAIPEI -- Taiwan's state-run power company said Tuesday soaring copper prices have led to a sharp rise in thefts of power cables, with culprits even drilling into the ground to steal them.

Copper prices have risen fivefold from 57 New Taiwan dollars per kilogram (2.2 pounds) three years ago to nearly NT$300 (US$9.3, £á6.3) per kilogram currently, said Huang Huey-yu, an official with the Taiwan Power Company.

Thefts of copper cables have shot up in the meantime, he said.

Over the past four years, cables stolen from the company totaled 24,800 kilometers (15,500 miles), enough to circle the island of Taiwan 18 times, he said. This compared with an annual theft of about 100 kilometers (60 miles) of wires before 2003, he added.

Officials say the cables have plastic wrapped around copper wires that vary from hairline to thumb sizes. Thefts have been reported by cities where they are buried underground as well as remote villages where they are erected above ground, they say.

"When they are buried underground, burglars would drill two holes in the ground and pull the cable out," a power company official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Huang called on authorities to launch a crackdown on the thefts and also raise the current penalties that give a maximum 2-year jail term for a convicted burglar. He did not elaborate.