Thieves nabbing farm supplies for high scrap prices

Sheriff's office issues theft warning to farmers

GRANT COUNTY — Farmers are being advised to keep a close eye on their operations.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office has issued a warning to local farmers. The office is starting to handle several theft complaints that involve aluminum irrigation pipes and brass sprinkler heads.

According to the warning, it appears that due to high prices now being paid for scrap brass and aluminum, thieves are breaking off the sprinkler heads and taking the riser and the head.

John Turley, chief criminal deputy with the Grant County Sheriff's Office, said that this is something seen every time aluminum prices go up.

"It's very easy to just drive up in the middle of the night, and yank on the risers," he said. "It's an easy way to make money, and it's untraceable."

Erwin Albrecht, a farmer in George and Quincy, said he was driving past part of his property in the area and spotted some aluminum tubes on the road. Thinking someone had lost them out of the back of a pick-up, he investigated, and discovered that 300 feet of his 4-inch aluminum mainline was missing.

"My mainline got thrashed," Albrecht said. "I swear they took an ax to it, chopped it up."

Albrecht said he thought it was done in the night or the early morning, since he gets up at 4 a.m. to make his rounds.

"It's somebody working the area," Albrecht theorized, noting that earlier in the spring, some people were going around asking if they could purchase aluminum. "The price of steel, and maybe the price of drugs, are up. It's not another farmer stealing from a farmer."

For Albrecht, the theft puts a halt on plans he had for his mainline, which he can't use now.

"Makes me feel like $500 less in my pocket," he said.

Farmers in rural Grant County are encouraged to keep a watchful eye on their equipment.

"Having been a rancher and a farmer, it's almost a nightmare to think you go out and work 20 hours a day, and that you can work 24 hours," Turley said. "However, they are going to have to be aware of it."

Turley suggested that it would pay, especially at a time when farming is so susceptible to the economy, for farmers to paint their pipes, stripe them or etch their names in, something that would identify them. It's nearly impossible on some farms, he noted, but could benefit smaller farms.

He also suggested that farmers keep track, make note of any tracks left in the dirt and keep their neighbors advised.

"In rural Grant County, the neighbors should all get together and keep each other apprised of what's going on," he said. "Sprinklers close to roadways are going to get pilfered first. When you've got your mainline close to the road, as long as water is running, they normally don't mess with them … There's no way to lock that stuff down. It's a shame, but be cognizant of the fact these guys are coming out in the middle of the night and taking advantage."