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Copper thieves scale great heights in Iowa

News

October 16th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Thieves are scaling great heights in Iowa in the search for copper, yanking wiring from cellphone towers and wind turbines. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker says thieves are risking jail or death for a few dollars. Danker says there are over 40 wind turbines and nearly a dozen cellphone towers from Avoca to Council Bluffs, and patrolling them all is a problem. Authorities recently caught two men on top of a cellphone tower near the Lewis and Clark Monument in Council Bluffs. They were arrested for criminal mischief and burglary. Officials say one of the men was wearing gloves and gear to keep him from falling.