A Port Coquitlam business is under siege from copper thieves who routinely break in to its work yard, costing the family run operation more than $40,000 in damage and stolen property.
Since June, Gary and Remi Coupal, part owners of Coupal Climbing Crane on Kingsway Avenue, have filed six theft reports with the Coquitlam RCMP. Five of the company's 23 cranes have been rendered inoperable as thieves rip apart intricate wiring to remove the copper and other valuable metals.
"We are incredibly frustrated," Gary Coupal said. "We feel that they are never going to get caught.
"We feel that if they do get caught, they will rob us tomorrow because they are just going to get out."
The latest spate of break-ins occurred last weekend, when the yard was hit on both Saturday and Sunday night.
The problem is so bad that Gary Coupal and an employee have been taking turns sleeping in the fenced-in compound, spending most of the night waiting for the guard dogs to start barking.
'CAN'T AFFORD THIS'
"I heard the dog barking," he said of Sunday night's security effort. "I ran out there and I had a big stick. I saw the guy and he saw me and he ran back down over to the warehouse and got away."
The man in the yard, he added, was wearing a hoodie pulled over his head but he believes he could identify the suspect if he saw him again.
Police responded a short time later but no arrests were made. The family has now hired a secondary security company, which will guard the perimeter of the compound until a $30,000 camera system can be installed.
In the last two weeks, Gary Coupal said the family has been spending more time dealing with security issues than operating the crane rental business.
"We can't really afford this but we can't really afford to get broken into either," he said.
Remi Coupal, Gary's brother, said for every crane that has its copper wiring stripped, his business is looking at between $5,000 and $8,000 in repairs, not including labour costs.
The added expense is taking a toll on the company's bottom line and Remi Coupal, who is the company's main electrician, said he has been working to keep his cranes operational so they can continue doing business.
"Some of these cranes are supposed to be rented in November," he said. "I am frantically going in to do all the re-wiring before then."
Coquitlam RCMP Sgt. Barb Thornborough told The Tri-City News increased patrols in the area have been undertaken and officers are reviewing all of their CompStat information. CompStat analyses crime trends in areas and helps police share information between departments and investigations.
Historically speaking, Thornborough said, police find that a small number of people are responsible for the majority of the crimes, particularly with break and enters. Police monitor prolific offenders and are aware when one has been recently released from custody, she added.
"Usually one or two people are essentially responsible for most of the break-ins," she said. "[An arrest] won't just stop what is happening to Coupal Crane, it will generally stop what is happening to other businesses."
Anyone with any information about these crimes or any other illegal activity is asked to phone the Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.
HELP THE COPS?
Coquitlam RCMP is looking for volunteers for its Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam community police stations to help out with a wide range of public safety activities.
Participants will get the chance to conduct foot and bike patrols as part of ICBC's Stolen Auto Recover program. They will also take non-emergency police reports for minor incidents such as lost and found property and are responsible for community outreach at local events.
Volunteers gain experience and skills through the training opportunities and hours earned can also help job or post-secondary school applications stand out.
Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and be able to pass an RCMP security and suitability interview.
Those interested in participating should email Coquitlam community police station at coquitlam_cps@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or the PoCo station at poco_cps@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
gmckenna@tricitynews.com
