Copper was trading at just over US$1 per pound in 2005, but prices spiked in 2006 and have hit highs of more than $4 per pound in the past year.
Although prices have dropped below $2 in the past few months, copper can still be sold to scrap-metal dealers for quick cash. The FBI says that with the current economic downturn, it is "likely that copper thefts will remain a lucrative financial resource for criminals."
The FBI's criminal intelligence report on copper theft can be found .