Copper theft hotspots revealed: Thieves costing Queenslanders thousands of dollars in damage

Energy Queensland has revealed the hotspots for copper thefts across the state, with CCTV catching a recent hit on a local business costing owners thousands of dollars in damage.

Energy Queensland has revealed the hotspots for copper thefts across the state, with a recent hit on a local business costing owners thousands of dollars in damage.

Since 2023, 494 attempted copper thefts have been recorded across the state, with 340 thefts have been reported this year to date.

Energy Queensland revealed for a second year in a row Brisbane north emerged as the state’s major copper theft hotspot for providers in Energex’s service area with 88 reported incidents last year and 16 since the start of the year.

Other Brisbane areas have made the list with Brisbane south recording the most incidents so far this year with 35 and 61 in 2023. Ipswich-Lockyer recorded 16 incidents this year.

In regional Queensland, Ergon service area 37 incidents have been reported in Townsville last year and only a handful this year, with the regional hotspot so far this year Mackay-Whitsundays with five reported incidents.

Energy Queensland reveal hotspots for Copper thefts. Copper stolen from a Browns Plains business over the 2023 Easter long weekend. Photo: supplied

Darling Downs was another hot spot last year, recording 27 thefts, and in southwest Queensland 28 incidents were recorded in 2023 with a handful recorded this year.

An Energy Queensland spokeswoman said: “We are continuing to see copper theft from the overhead and underground electricity networks across Queensland.

“We are worried someone is going to get hurt, or worse, for the sake of a few bucks,” she said.

“Stealing copper from the electricity network is an extremely high risk for very little reward.”

Some offenders have been found dead or only narrowly escaped serious injury while attempting to steal.

“While there have been no fatalities relating to attempted copper theft from the Energex and Ergon electricity distribution networks in recent years, there is always the risk of death or serious injury when people interfere with live electrical equipment,” a spokeswoman said.

In 2020, a person was found dead after attempting to steal copper from an industrial estate, while another escaped electrocution after chopping through an 11,000-volt Energex cable with an axe the same year.

Over Easter, a Browns Plains business was hit multiple times, with thieves stealing over $30,000 worth of plumbing and copper as well as office supplies.

Lorraine Eggers and business partner Melanie Hall have estimated a total loss of $120,000 to their not-for-profit business.

Lorraine Eggers, underneath her business where copper pipes were ripped down and stolen from the roof, in Browns Plains, Brisbane. pic: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Ms Eggers returned to her businesses on April 9 after the Easter long weekend to find pipes and copper had been pulled from the roof at the back of her property and has since filed a police report after she was locked inside her building when the thieves returned.

Ms Hall said she was at home on the Tuesday night when she received a panicked call from her business partner that the thieves had returned and she was trapped inside the office.

“I was fearful, but I felt like it was getting dark, so I knew I had to get out,” Ms Eggers said.

Ms Hall said they had returned for the “last two runs of the copper.”

“There was a homeless lady by the name of Robin who had presented herself to Lorraine earlier that day saying she might know who did it because she got approached to do this theft and offered money for it,” Ms Hall said.

The duo have poured over half a million dollars and their life savings into setting up 123 Hub in Browns Plains, which provides start-ups and small businesses shared office spaces and workshops.

CCTV captures one of the alleged thieves outside the Browns Plains not-for-profit over the Easter long weekend. Photo: supplied

Ms Eggers said due to the loss of plumbing the group is unable to provide working office spaces and workshops to her clients, and has since lost thousands of dollars in businesses.

Ms Eggers said she is unsure how she will financially recover.

Police are investigating following a reported break and enter and theft of copper wire from a Browns Plains business earlier this month.

Investigations indicate between March 28 and April 4, an offender has gained access to a carpark at the Browns Plains Road business and has stolen a quantity of copper piping.

Investigations into the incident are still ongoing.