After several weeks of bad press on the rash of copper thefts across the Houston area, you just knew it was about time for a mayoral press conference to address the bad PR problem.
Right on cue, here’s the Chronicle‘s coverage:
“The theft of copper and (other) metal drives up the cost of living for all Houstonians and all Americans,” said Mayor Bill White, who attended a news conference announcing the sweep for thieves who have stripped huge air conditioners of copper content at churches and other buildings, sometimes working boldly in daylight hours. “All consumers are victims.”
White said copper theft drives up home construction costs and prices on other products that contain the metal, which police said is selling for more than $4 a pound.
Metal thieves have formed elaborate trading systems in Houston and other cities that have developers thinking twice about building new subdivisions where police are not making special efforts to control the problem, White said.
“These are not easy crimes to solve,” White said. “We can’t be in a situation in which people cannot build houses.”
Thieves have “cannibalized” residential and commercial construction sites and even invaded an unused police department building to take metal, police said. Thieves also have stolen the nozzles off of city fire hoses, [assistant police chief Vicki] King said.
This week’s crime sweep is just one step in trying to reduce metal theft in Houston, King said.
Perhaps the lack of visible police presence because of the manpower problem helps embolden thieves and other criminals? Just a guess.
Chief Hurtt presumably is enjoying an extended Thanksgiving weekend in Phoenix. Otherwise, the latest crimefighting initiative would have gotten the proper acronym treatment!
