Just zapped into this German TV report on the increase in theft of all kinds of metal fittings such as copper wiring, pipes, manhole covers, gutters, kitchen sinks, etc.
The same is happening in Malawi. For example, the fixed telephone wiring is being stolen and sold to fences, just as fast as it is being installed.
I wasn’t aware that it’s a global problem.
The reason: There’s a growing demand for copper, nickel, aluminium and zinc in China and India, which in turn has led to substantial price hikes, making metal a target for thieves.
Global world.
Thanks for sharing. Even myself I had been thinking that this is a problem only in developing countries where people might be motivated to do such acts of vandalism out of desperation due to poverty. Just last week a friend in Zomba, Malawi was telling me how thieves had stolen MTL phone cables the same day they had just been replaced. Its very sad indeed!
However I just wish that Malawi should quickly start mining her discovered nickel to take advantage of the prevailing good market prices due to high global demand for metals.
Cheers!