The Scrap Iron Dealers Association (SIDA) say proper enforcement is needed to stamp out the growing theft of copper and other materials.
President of the Association Alan Ferguson insists legitimate dealers are not to blame and pointed to rogue operators who continue to fuel demand for stolen goods.
“These fellas who stealing, they can’t steal nothing because they have no market to sell it. And this is the problem we having, the people who buying and that is why we need the authority to come down on all these people all over Trinidad and Tobago. The people who open up yards without license, as the Vice President just mentioned. It’s plenty,” he said.
Mr Ferguson said the SIDA is willing to work with the police to deal with the issue and called on citizens to report any suspicious activity.
“Report it to the police and if they’re doing nothing, report it to the Association and the Association will take up the necessary things to expose everybody who’s supposed to get exposed because we need to do it. We have children, we have wives. We have people that depend on this industry to live,” he said.
There’s a significant rise in thefts of copper cables and other metal items from public infrastructure and private property across Trinidad and Tobago, damaging utilities and services.
These thefts include electrical and telecommunications cables, public infrastructure components, and even vandalism of community facilities.
Utility companies like T&TEC, WASA, and TSTT have faced major disruptions—including loss of electricity, water, internet, and phone services—due to stolen copper.
The economic cost runs into hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars when infrastructure is replaced or repaired.
Stolen copper is often sold into the scrap metal market, including export channels, creating a financial incentive for theft.
