I was amazed to read today in an article from a central Florida news station (article: http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/2/6/possible_copper_thieves.html) about an assisted living facility having it’s fire protection system raided by thieves for the copper wiring. “That means firefighters won’t have access to water if a fire breaks out there. Officials said 10 residents of the Thornton Gardens Luxury Assisted Living Facility were without water for their fire suppression system” the article said.
The article doesn’t overtly say why the copper wiring might have been a target, but anyone who has been paying attention to the news lately knows that drug abusers steal copper wiring or parts from anywhere they can because the resale value of it is very high right now. These users, in turn, use the money to fuel their habit.
The consequences of disabling a fire protection system, especially at an assisted living home, could be deadly.
This article just goes to show that everyone, in some way or another, can fall victim to the drug problem that plagues our county.
