Millions in losses - NWC, LIME count the cost of scrap-metal theft
Published:Wednesday | July 20, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
With the Government's decision to put a hold on the scrap-metal industry, two of the island's major utilities providers are hoping they will get a break from the theft which has become a part of their daily operations.
The National Water Commission (NWC) has reportedly lost more than $36 million in direct theft related to the scrap-metal industry.
"This does not include the regular theft of manhole covers and frames throughout our sewage districts. Nor does it include single/short lengths of pipes rampantly stolen from our water distribution systems," said the NWC as it listed losses in almost all parishes.
"Additionally, the costs indicated in most instances are merely estimates of the replacement cost and do not include costs for loss of revenue, customer inconvenience, increased trucking costs, and damage to the image of the enterprise," added the commission.
Customers inconvenienced
According to the NWC, the real full cost that it has faced because of the scrap-metal theft could be between $144 million and $196 million.
It is a similar story for telecommunications company LIME, which says the repeated theft of copper telephone cables has cost it more than $32 million while severely inconveniencing its landline and Internet customers.
"Between April and early July 2011, LIME suffered 41 incidents of cable theft which in some cases resulted in prolonged service outages and great inconvenience for its business and residential customers," the company said.
Several other major entities, including the National Works Agency, sugar factories, parish councils and private businesses have also reportedly suffered million-dollar losses because of the scrap-metal thieves.
Private individuals, it is understood, have also suffered losses as the thieves have made off with any metal they can find.