Freeborn County Sheriff's Office has taken several reports in the last month and a half of copper theft from various wind farms not only in Freeborn County but Mower County and Iowa | Samantha Soto | KIMT | Sep 15, 2021 | www.kimt.com
ALBERT LEA, Minn. – Copper has become a hot commodity in southeast Minnesota in recent months.
The metal was reported stolen earlier this week from a wind energy farm site near Albert Lea.
Freeborn County Sheriff Sergeant Keith Bolinger tells KIMT they have taken several reports in the last month and a half of copper theft from various wind farms not only in Freeborn County but Mower County and Iowa.
He says the sheriff’s office is taking specific actions as a result.
“Increasing our patrols in areas that have been hit knowing that these thefts are occurring we can focus some of the activities in various areas where we know crimes are occurring,” he explains.
Bolinger says scrap copper prices are soaring in Minnesota and beyond.
“I would imagine the scrap copper prices in Minnesota and surrounding areas and what-not are starting to go up a little bit, so it’s more lucrative,” says Bolinger.
There is no word on how much copper has been taken in recent thefts.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/09/16/copper-theft-from-an-albert-lea-farm-wind-turbine/