Thieves target solar panels Thursday, December 8, 2011 by SUSAN MANNWhen copper prices soar farmers need to keep an eye on their solar panel installations because thieves have been stealing the panels’ copper wires.Sgt. Steve Montpetit, rural agricultural crime team coordinator for the Ontario Provincial Police, says thefts of copper have been an ongoing problem across province. Thieves target not only wires in solar installations but also old telegraph lines on railways, copper plumbing pipes in unsecured new home construction and wires in hydro transformer stations. “Every one of our regions have had issues with copper wire thefts,” he notes.Montpetit says the frequency of the thefts fluctuate with copper prices. When copper hits $3.50 to $4 a pound thefts increase but decline when copper prices slide to $2 or $3 a pound. According to a Chicago Mercantile Exchange report, copper reached about US$3.74 per pound at the end of September.The provincial police do catch copper wire thieves “but it’s a revolving door,” he says. “It’s copper wire thefts so nobody looks at it with any significance.”But the provincial police take the thefts seriously. Montpetit says thieves damaging hydro transformer stations to steal copper could result in power outages or people being electrocuted.Hydro One spokesperson Nancy Shaddick says entering Hydro’s transformer yards without proper equipment and training is “extremely dangerous.” In fact, a thief was severely burned stealing copper from a transformer station in Toronto at the end of July.The police have worked extensively with Hydro One to develop strategies to deter thieves. They’ve also developed communication posters for scrap metal dealers to alert them so they’ll be on the look out for the stolen wires and to inform them they’re receiving stolen goods.Shaddick declined to say what deterrents Hydro One is using for security reasons. But “our security measures are helping to reduce the impact of copper thefts from our stations.”The corporation is also working with Crime Stoppers to raise awareness about metal thefts. People can call anonymously to report thieves at 1-800-222-TIPS.Copper is important for grounding high voltage equipment, she says. Montpetit notes that the theft of solar panels in Middlesex County earlier this year was unrelated to the copper wire thefts and was an isolated incident. From August to October thieves made off with 41 panels valued at $30,000 in incidents on properties near Delaware.“It was almost as if it was a crime of opportunity,” Montpetit says. “They targeted these solar panels. They took them in a short amount of time. It wasn’t something that occurred over a six or nine-month period.”The thieves had a certain amount of expertise and intimate knowledge of the panels to steal them. But Montpetit says police don’t know why the panels were taken.Montpetit, says he checked with sergeants on the OPP’s rural crime team in the five areas they’re located in – Thunder Bay, North Bay, Smith Falls, Peterborough and Chatham – and solar panel thefts aren’t a problem in other parts of the province. BF Soggy fields affect wheat yield projections says cereals specialist Farm groups anticipate border changes will reduce some costs
Mother’s Day Q&A with Anna McCutcheon Thursday, May 8, 2025 Mother’s Day is only a few days away (that’s another reminder), and this week Farms.com has connected with moms in ag for their thoughts on motherhood, its challenges, and how being a parent has changed them. Anna McCutcheon (AM) and her husband Mark are the first generation on their... Read this article online
Looking for the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift for Women who work in Agriculture? Thursday, May 8, 2025 Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to show appreciation for the incredible women in agriculture than by supporting products and services created by women in agriculture? Whether she’s managing livestock, growing crops, running a farm-based business—or all of... Read this article online
Creating Safe Farms for Kids Wednesday, May 7, 2025 The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is hosting the second annual Kids FarmSafe Week from May 12 to 18, with the theme “Nurturing the Future of Agriculture.” The initiative aims to raise awareness about health and safety risks for children and youth on farms. According... Read this article online
Encouraging Consumers to spend 1 Percent More at Farmers Markets Could Make a Big Difference Wednesday, May 7, 2025 A recent study led by University of Northern British Columbia professor David Connell reveals that farmers’ markets, while growing in popularity, still make up only a small share of household food spending. The research was conducted across 70 markets in British Columbia and involved... Read this article online
2025 Election Results Prompt Concern and Reflection Among Prairie Farmers Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Users on Agriville.com weigh-in on the 2025 federal election outcome As news broke that Mark Carney’s Liberals had won the 2025 federal election, many western Canadian farmers on Agriville.com shared their reactions. The mood was largely one of disappointment, with concerns about the... Read this article online