Precious copper cabling stolen while metal thefts rise across Adelaide suburbs

Precious metals are being targeted across Adelaide, as police recover more than 100kg of stolen copper wiring and tools.

Police have recovered more than 100kg of stolen copper wiring and tools after a string of metal thefts surge across Adelaide.

Police patrolling the Smithfield Plains area spotted a man acting suspiciously on a home under construction about 12.45am on Saturday.

Police searched the 43-year-old’s vehicle and found more than 100kg of copper wiring and steel items.

The man accused had breaking implements and tools that were allegedly from a nearby property that was also under construction.

He was arrested and charged with two counts of being unlawfully on a premise, unlawful possession and breach of bail.

A man has been arrested after he was allegedly located with a car full of copper wiring and stolen tools in the northern suburbs. Picture: SA Police

He was refused police bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Monday.

In a separate incident, three men were arrested after allegedly stealing copper wire from a communications pit in Woodville on Thursday.

The men allegedly used a van to tow hundreds of metres of copper cabling from the underground Telstra communications pit on Hughes St N about 4.30am.

The middle aged men were caught in the act, after patrols located the van within minutes.

A 53-year-old Elizabeth South man and two Woodville Park men, aged 50 and 43, were arrested and charged with left.

The 43-year-old man was also charged with driving unlicensed.

The three men appeared in the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Another pair was arrested for allegedly stealing copper piping in a vacant government building in Oakden last week, while two men were arrested after being caught by police stealing copper cabling at Campbelltown in early August.