DeQuincy, LA (KPLC) - Copper wiring is the new target for thieves, according to DeQuincy police detectives.

“Right now, in the parish alone, and if you include Beauregard, you’re probably looking at over a 100 copper cases this last year,” said Maj. Jerry Bell, Chief of Detectives at the DeQuincy Police Department.

Thieves cost a business near the DeQuincy Airpark at least $150,000 in stolen copper wiring and damage earlier this month.

“The thieves drove a vehicle in the rear of it and went in and pulled all the wire down,” Bell said. “We picked up some DNA, we’re checking our LPRs [license plate readers] and checking our cameras and stuff like that hoping to get a better lead.”

It’s a crime, Bell said, that will take dozens of hours to solve due to the crime being reported several weeks after happening and the lack of evidence, both which are a common occurrence in these types of cases.

“A lot of time they do it at nighttime,” Bell said. “Cut wires off of high line poles and disappear. They strip wire, and they take it over there, and you can’t tell where the wire come from.”

With the crack down on catalytic converter thefts, Bell said copper wiring is now the new cash cow for thieves.

He said securing your belongings might keep you from being a target.

“If you got any old build or old house or anything like that, it behooves to put cameras on it and lock it up, because these copper thieves are out there,” Bell said.

DeQuincy police are offering a reward to anyone coming forward with information that leads to an arrest. Bell asked anyone with information to call 337-786-4000.

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