Rising copper prices fuel wave of thefts
Rising copper prices fuel wave of thefts
President Trump’s 50% tariff on most imported copper products has fueled a surge in copper prices. While the import tax might not increase the production of the metal in the U.S. it has lead to another domestic spike — copper thefts. Kris Van Cleave reports on what’s being done to combat the copper robbers.
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Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article's claim that President Trump's tariff on imported copper caused a surge in copper prices and thefts is not supported by the provided sources, which attribute copper thefts to rising copper prices generally. The article exhibits moderate bias by linking a specific political action (Trump's tariff) to the thefts without sufficient evidence.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: President Trump's 50% tariff on most imported copper products has fueled a surge in copper prices.
- Assessment: Unverified. None of the provided sources mention Trump's tariff or its impact on copper prices.
- Claim: Rising copper prices fuel a wave of copper thefts.
- Verification Source #1: Mentions heavy copper prices and theft of copper gas piping.
- Verification Source #2: States that soaring copper prices fuel US cargo crimes.
- Verification Source #3: Attributes a jump in metal thefts to a rise in the price of metals such as copper.
- Verification Source #4: Links EV charging cable thefts to the copper wiring inside the cables at near-record prices.
- Assessment: Supported. Multiple sources confirm that rising copper prices are associated with increased copper thefts.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Source 2: "Soaring copper prices fuel US cargo crimes"
- Source 3: "The past year has seen a huge jump in metal thefts, with a rise in the price of metals such as copper and lead being blamed."