Metal thieves strike several businesses

Thieves stole thousands of feet of copper cable, some of it electrified, from a Spokane Valley business late Monday night, according to Spokane Valley police.

Valued at $4,000, the 2,000 feet of cable was cut from electrical junction boxes at Waste Management, 11720 E. First Ave. sometime between 11:30 p.m. Monday and 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to a Police Department press release.

Businesses that stock large quantities of copper and aluminum, metals with high scrap values this year, should take extra precautions to safeguard their supplies, according to the release.

A thief also siphoned an estimated 30 gallons of gasoline from five vehicles parked on display at an East Sprague Avenue car lot Monday night, the release said.

The gasoline stolen from Auto Explosion, 7814 E. Sprague Ave., was worth about $90.

Burglars stole hundreds of dollars worth of tools, recyclable materials and other items from two North Spokane County businesses early this week, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Someone cut the padlock off the rear door of a Marine West Industries storage trailer at 8800 N. Fairview Ave. between 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to a press release. An inventory was in progress Thursday.

Thieves also made off with $900 of aluminum from the U-Haul Co., 8805 N. Division St. They removed 39 of the 20-foot aluminum frames used on rental trucks from a fenced storage yard between 3:30 p.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.