In Perpignan, the value of copper thus continues to turn an ordinary metal into a target for swift, costly thefts that are hard to curb.
In Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, copper thefts are poisoning the daily lives of tradespeople and restaurant owners.
In a business park in Perpignan, copper theft has become a scourge.
The offenders target tubes and pipes, which they then melt down to resell.
For the past year, the incidents have multiplied despite the installation of surveillance cameras.
This rise is correlated with the surge in the metal’s price.
The phenomenon is on the rise in the department, where these thefts have doubled in five years.
In twenty years, the price of a tonne of copper has increased twelvefold.
The speed of the operations limits the chances of intervention.
Loïc Di Domizio, a restaurant owner, said:"Hoping, and that is what we believe, to have somewhat greater security.".