Well, we have said it before, that you only know that something has real value when somebody else in the world thinks it is worth stealing! It has been reported that gangs across Britain have been stealing brass and other items – tens of millions of pounds worth – in order to feed a growing demand for metals in India and China, as their construction industries boom.

We are not talking about a few isolated incidents here, of things that are unusual to steal, but not inconceivable (like, for instance, a traditional and well-made door knob!). Apparently these thefts are on an absolutely huge scale – there have been so many people missing door knobs, door knockers, letter plates, and other items from the fronts of heir houses, that police now have a special task force to deal with it and all officers have been alerted to the problem.

Thieves have also been stealing much more exotic things in their thirst for metals … lead is in huge demand, and in Britain where olden-style lead rooves are fairly common, over one summer 19 schools in the Midlands had their rooves stolen!. A formerly happy bus shelter, which used to provide protection from the rain for hundreds of kids and grown ups, was also brutally stolen, burnt alive and sadistically reformed into building materials!

Also, with the current downturn in the US economy along with commodity prices which are exceptionally high, it is actually quite a profitable industry to melt down US pennies for their copper, and nickels for their nickel. People are apparently making quite a good wage, even after the costs of exporting the heavy items. You need guts to do it though – you can get up to 5 years in jail for doing that!

On a serious note, if you have antique door furniture that is worth a lot more than normal door furniture, it would a very wise idea to list it separately on your insurance, to make sure you can go some way towards replacing it if it is stolen. If people are looking to melt down these metals and create something else from them, it is highly unlikely your piece will be recovered at any stage, even if you have had the forethought to mark it somehow.

Photo credits: Poli-ladron by Alex Dukal

          

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