[font=Verdana]Wrecking crews say they are in a race with thieves to salvage copper, which is commanding record prices.[/font]

[font=Verdana]At least nine houses in [/font][font=Verdana]Pittsburgh[/font][font=Verdana] have had copper stolen this year, police said. The price of copper has increased from about $1 a pound in 2003 to nearly $3.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Allan Cousin, who owns Noralco Corp., one of [/font][font=Verdana]Pittsburgh[/font][font=Verdana]'s larger wrecking crews, said workers were lucky because they beat thieves to the copper in the recent demolition of the city's old Public Safety building.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Police in [/font][font=Verdana]Punxsutawney[/font][font=Verdana] last month were investigating the theft of more than $10,000 worth of copper cable and couplings from an abandoned mine.[/font]

[font=Verdana]And police in suburban [/font][font=Verdana]Pittsburgh[/font][font=Verdana] said a man stealing copper piping was burned in March when a lighter he used to see inside an empty housing unit caused an explosion.[/font]

[font=Verdana]Information from: [/font][font=Verdana]Pittsburgh[/font][font=Verdana] Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com[/font]