The number of metal thefts in Ohio dropped during the period 2013 through 2015, but the state still leads the country in metal theft crimes, an Ohio insurance industry trade group says.
Citing a report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the Ohio Insurance Institute (OII) said metal theft claims dropped nearly 9 percent from the previous NICB report issued in 2015 for the years 2012 through 2014.
There were 4,042 metal thefts statewide for the three-year period of 2013 – 2015, compared with 4,438 metal theft claims reported for 2012 – 2014.
The OII said metal thefts in Ohio are at their lowest point since 2010. In 2015, 1,070 metal thefts were reported statewide. OII notes that between 2014 and 2015, Ohio metal theft claims declined nearly 30 percent, besting the U.S. decline of 23 percent during that two-year period.
2009-2015 Ohio Metal Theft Claims by Year
2009
466
2010
797
2011
1,198
2012
1,446
2013
1,446
2014
1,526
2015
1,070
Source: NICB
Across the U.S., insured scrap metal theft claims declined 29 percent between 2013 and 2015.
After Ohio, the leading states for metal thefts for the period 2013 – 2015 were Pennsylvania (2,819), New Jersey (2,585), New York (2,101) and Texas (1,833).
Nationally, there were 35,961 total claims reported in the 2013 – 2015 period, compared with 39,993 claims in the 2012 – 2014 report. Of the claims in the most recently reported period, 98 percent pertained to the theft of copper. Of these claims, 58 percent (compared with 53 percent in the 2012 – 2014 report) were personal insurance policy claims. The remaining 42 percent (47 percent in 2012 – 2014 report) were commercial claims.
Ohio’s Top Eight Cities and 2013-2015 Metal Theft Claims
6
Cleveland-Elyria
842
8
Cincinnati (OH-KY-IN)
829
9
Columbus
691
19
Akron
362
30
Dayton
263
32
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman
246
49
Canton-Massillon
168
50
Toledo
166
Source: NICB
The NICB reported finding a correlation between the number of metal theft claims and copper prices trending down for much of 2015.
Three Ohio metro areas ranked in the top 10 CBSAs (core-based statistical areas) nationally for metal theft claims.
Ohio currently operates a mandatory online registry for scrap metal and bulk merchandise container dealers on the Ohio Homeland Security’s website. The online registry aims to crack down on metal theft by focusing on the endpoint — scrap dealers and recycling facilities.
Ohio scrap dealers are now required to report transactions through an electronic reporting system maintained by the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS). Dealers are required to send transactions to the ODPS by noon on the following business day.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety’s 2016 Annual Report shows that there are 416 registered scrap dealers in Ohio. In addition, there are 200,000 individuals on Ohio’s scrap metal “Do Not Buy List.”
The NICB says more metal thefts occur than are reported to law enforcement agencies, but they do not necessarily trigger claims. If the damage is not covered by insurance or the loss is below or near the insurance policy’s deductible, it would likely not be a reported insurance claim, according to the OII. Commercial deductibles, which come into play in these claims, typically range from $500 to $1,000 for small business owners and up to $5,000 for mid-sized and large businesses.
The OII said many insurers advise their business clients to consider adding theft deterrent systems or alarms to their air conditioning systems. Such alarms typically cost around $500 to $750 to install, the OII said.
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