Copper thieves burn down City of Birmingham [[AL) Christmas tree

**leland_palmer** · December-16-10, 03:11 PM

I thought our copper thieves sucked!

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/12/...tmas_tree.html

**wolverine** · December-17-10, 02:52 AM

Horrible story. And again I only preach my ideas again. No one gets any money for scrap metal unless they are a licensed contractor with an active project registered with the state. Scrap copper is worthless. No redeemable value whatsoever. It should exist in every state.

DetroitDad · December-17-10, 03:13 AM

Wow.... just wow!

**claireianthelibrarian** · December-17-10, 04:43 AM

Damn, that is some pro material. What a mess. I still don't think it's as bad as St. Louis's brick theft, though. Where I am from they steal walls with an icepick and a pickup truck. [[Crap, I think I just started a "my city sucks the most" contest.)

Side note: Anyone been to Birmingham? What's it like? I hear it's honorary Rust Belt material.

**maxx** · December-20-10, 11:06 AM

In Southfield bricks were taken out of a wall next to a I696 entrance years ago. I don't know if they've been replaced.

**LeannaM** · December-21-10, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by claireianthelibrarian

Damn, that is some pro material. What a mess. I still don't think it's as bad as St. Louis's brick theft, though. Where I am from they steal walls with an icepick and a pickup truck. [[Crap, I think I just started a "my city sucks the most" contest.)

Side note: Anyone been to Birmingham? What's it like? I hear it's honorary Rust Belt material.

The brick theft in St. Louis is pretty bad, but it is mostly confined to the North Side. Still, it's not good. If the China Hub deal goes through and Paul McKee's plan is successful then hopefully there will be some redevelopment on the North Side. Right now it's bad in quite a few areas, though.

I sometimes wonder if people who steal bricks and copper and destroy buildings actually have any brains, because they are often destroying their own neighborhoods.

**ghettopalmetto** · December-21-10, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

The brick theft in St. Louis is pretty bad, but it is mostly confined to the North Side. Still, it's not good.

I sometimes wonder if people who steal bricks and copper and destroy buildings actually have any brains, because they are often destroying their own neighborhoods.

It's not about brains--it's about desperation.

**LeannaM** · December-21-10, 03:10 PM

I know but they are causing more damage to their neighborhoods by destroying them.

I try to have sympathy for brick rustlers and copper thieves, but I can't muster up much.