Stealing is rising faster than it is, and copper has become the "number one emerging theft target" in the United States.

On July 11, according to foreign media reports, after Trump announced a 50% tariff on imported copper from August 1, the price of copper in the United States hit a record high, and theft gangs are extending their black hands to the entire vehicle of copper in transit. The growth rate of copper theft cases in US trucks has even exceeded the rise in copper prices. This year, the global copper price has risen, and the US market has risen by more than 35%. Verisk CargoNet, a threat and risk assessment agency, listed copper as the "number one emerging theft target" last year. Its data shows that in 2024, the number of theft cases in the US and Canada logistics industry rose by 26% year-on-year to 3,798, of which copper-related crimes contributed significantly. The agency expects a record number of cases in 2025, with copper theft reported in the first half of the year alone up 61 per cent from the same period last year, and underreporting is widespread in the industry. "Criminals are always after high-priced and easy-to-sell goods," said Keith Lewis, vice-president of operations at Verisk CargoNet.