Businesses and government agencies are reporting major losses as a result of rampant copper theft.
Super Value, the country's largest supermarket chain, has lost approximately $1 million over the last five years, according to its owner Rupert Roberts.
"Copper theft is a serious problem in the country. Within the last five years, I have easily spent $1 million in equipment replacement and down time. These thieves at different times have disabled most of our stores, Wulff Road, Baillou Hill Road, Golden Gates, Mackey Street, Robinson Road. Copper theft even delayed the opening of our Quality Markets location in South Beach by at least a month or two," he explained.
During a press conference yesterday, Roberts stressed that copper thieves have been disrupting businesses, homes and government agencies like the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC), Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) and ZNS by ripping out equipment made of or containing copper.
He said copper theft over time has become a cost to both merchants and consumers, similar to payroll or rent.
While Roberts maintains he has never sent any staff member home as a result of copper theft, it is becoming increasingly difficult to absorb these losses.
"When thieves steal store equipment, it has the potential of closing the store for months, putting 40 to 50 employees out of work. Also, if the disruption is not caught in time, you can lose up to $250,000 worth of perishables for lack of refrigeration. When that happens, there is also the need to replace thousands of dollars of Freon, which they release into the environment when they cut or break the tubing," Roberts explained.
"We have never sent a member of staff home as a result of copper theft. We try to find other duties and not send people home in any circumstances no matter what happens to us. That never enters our mind to send them home. But if a store is completely disabled for three months, we would have to consider sending them home."
Leslie Miller, BEC's chairman, also confirmed that despite the corporation being outfitted with cameras, guard dogs and security officers, it continues to register major losses from cooper thieves.
"People cut wires from our plants on a weekly basis. They will take rolls of wire about six inches in diameter and just take as they please. You can't stop a thief; you can only slow them down," he said.
Miller, who also owns several businesses, including Mario's Bowling and Family Entertainment Palace, added that he has been a victim of copper theft on more than one occasion.
"This situation with copper theft has gone on for far too long. Just a few months ago, some partners and I decided we were going to open up the old Robin Hood location with a new name - Save Mart. We were getting the financing in place. One morning we arrived on site to get some people involved on the project and we found that every piece of copper was stolen. Air condition units were stolen as well. That replacement cost was in excess of $200,000 but they probably got less than $5,000 for the goods," he told reporters.
Other businesses like Bahamas Food Services (BFS) also reportedly lost thousands of dollars, when $85,000 worth of copper was stolen from a 20-foot container.
Miller and Roberts are calling on the government to implement a permanent ban on the exportation of copper.
"If we don't stop them from exporting copper, businesses are going to be closed down because it is affecting the ordinary lives of Bahamians that work in these enterprises," Miller said.

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