Consumers Energy Offers Reward In Copper Thefts

BATTLE CREEK (WWJ/AP) - It's been a growing problem in recent months, with dozens of reported incidents of copper being stripped from vacant and foreclosed homes.

Now, Consumers Energy is offering a reward up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of thieves stealing copper and other materials from some of the utility's substations in southern Michigan.

The CMS Energy Corp. subsidiary said Thursday that in the past two weeks, six incidents of wire and material theft have been reported at the utility's facilities in Calhoun County. After it's ripped from the walls, stolen copper is usually sold to scrap yards for cash.

Consumers Energy says so far this year about 20 such thefts have been reported statewide.

Just last week,  three young men were arrested in Dearborn after being caught red-handed, stealing copper plumbing from a home under renovation.

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