Copper wire and piping thefts hit Guwahatians

Guwahati: The number of incidents of theft is on the increase in Guwahati, with such incidents taking place almost regularly, and copper seems to be the new favourite of the thieves. Wiring and copper pipes are being ripped off at a variety of establishments by these thieves and sold as scrap.

In what seems to be a growing trend in the city, air conditioner users across the city continue to face the problem of damage caused by thieves and robbers. Instead of breaking into the home itself, these thieves rob the power lines as well as the copper pipes used for heat transfer. These items are generally connected to the outdoor unit of the air conditioner; hence, no one actually has to pry open the doors and go inside. This action often damages the air conditioner as well, causing losses of around 40-50 thousand rupees.

It has been mentioned that these thieves often roam around various localities of the city as rag pickers or scrap buyers. During the day, they travel around various localities and identify potential targets, including businesses and residences. They would then return late at night or just before dawn to steal the cables and pipes. Owners usually realise their loss after they wake up in the morning. Even those with closed-circuit cameras are not safe from such thieves. Several victims of these thefts had such surveillance, but when they checked the footage, they often found the cameras damaged, disabled, or simply covered. These incidents have been reported from different parts of the city, including Six Mile, Khanapara, Lakhtokia, and Lokhora. Showrooms and shops are among the main victims of these incidents, as these places realise the damage comparatively later in the day.

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