Never underestimate the stupidity and desperateness of some people. If they had taken the whole thing and sold it as-is (before damaging it) on eBay they'd have made way more than whatever copper they got from it. That would have required intelligence, which is something copper thieves often seem to lack.

I work security on a 22 acre property with nine unoccupied buildings in the beginning stages of being remodeled. It's amazing the amount of work and time people will put into stealing such a small amount of Cat-5 cable, or a few pounds of copper pipe. I've even seen ancient lead pipes cut and stolen. I hope whoever took the hacksaw to that one was taking some deep breaths without wearing any kind of mask.

I once lived very close to a electric substation. The suspended lines from the substation to an abandoned paper mill were all taken one night. So that means they had to get them off the poles, climb the barbed wire topped fence to cut the unused lines from the live wires, etc. The substation could be seen from a well traveled road as well. That took some knowledge and guts, but I'm amazed they weren't caught in the act.

Then there's whatever scrap yard didn't ask any questions on what was probably a pickup truck full of power lines that likely didn't ask any questions...

Sorry to go off topic, just one of those things that annoys me. If you read the whole thing, thanks for letting me vent. If your eyes glazed over and you started scrolling and skimming, I don't blame you.