My neighbor has a heating company, the other day i saw him unloading very large amounts of copper pipe from his company truck into cardboard boxes. I am wondering if it is illegal for him to be taking that much pipe from his work sites? I wan't to make sure i am not jumping to conclusions about my neighbor. Thanxx
First of all the guy's has a heating company. Copper pipe is like one of the biggest materials! That alone should make you quit wondering and being nosey. But, let me explain. When companies like home heating companies do projects they commonly connect piping. That piping can be steel but very often it is copper. Part of the project requires they demo old piping such that they can put in the new piping. The quantity of demo'd piping can be alot or not so much. If they are busy you can imagine there may be a significant quantity of scrap. Now when the project is over they naturally have to clean up and make the site nice and clean. Well that scrap and dirt and dust and stuff must be cleaned up. It would be unprofessional if they didn't. Well copper pipe has value so what do you think? They are going to throw the copper out and let the garbage man get the money? Look, if you do a project and there is scrap you can tell the contractor not to take it away. He won't. But if you say nothing, then he is expected to police the area and leave it as a professional will. Looking good. All the scrap and crrapp hauled off. Don't worry about it. Oh if you see your neighbor hauling out a rolled up carpet with a nailpolished hand dangling out of it than you might start making conclusions otherwise, forgetaboutit.
The answer is it depends. He might be stealing the copper pipe, in which case even taking a small piece wouldn't be ok. On the other hand, he could have a perfectly acceptable reason for putting the pipe in cardboard boxes at his house. If he's stealing, it will catch up to him. If not, then you don't want to make an accusation without proof. I would let it go.
Not unless he paid for it.
