Winter Storms Generate Jobs in Underground Economy

Do you like working outdoors? Do you like a little bit of excitement? Do you own your own rubber gloves?

If you answered yes, yes, yes, you may be perfect for a job in the growing field of stealing downed copper power lines after winter storms! From the P-I:

Scrap metal thieves, emboldened by high copper prices, pounced on thousands of feet of downed power lines following snowstorms last month despite the risk of electrocution, utility officials said.

In the Snohomish County Public Utility District alone, more than 2,000 feet of wire was taken from three locations after the snowstorms that began Nov. 26, PUD spokesman Neil Neroutsos said.

The thefts delayed efforts to restore electricity to thousands of homes and businesses and were undertaken at considerable risk because downed lines are usually still live, Neroutsos said.

Apparently copper's going for about $1.50 a pound. Thieves who dressed up as a work crew and stole a bunch of lines from light poles being installed on the I-5 median in Everett probably netted about $1,800, according to the article.