A tug owner in Western Australia is dealing with a substantial insurance claim following the theft of valuable tug propellers, as reported by ABC. During the southern hemisphere’s winter, a break-in occurred at a storage yard near Dampier, where thieves stole four propellers made from a high-spec bronze-nickel alloy, valued in the millions.
The WA Police Force indicates that the theft took place sometime between December 2025 and late May 2026, though the owner only reported the missing items last month. Authorities suspect that heavy equipment was used to remove the propellers, each weighing around two tonnes, along with the shipping racks they were stored on. The total loss is estimated at $1.4 million.
The stolen propellers are likely destined for a scrapyard, driven by a current surge in copper prices, as the alloy contains a significant amount of copper. With prices reaching about US$14 per kilo, there has been a notable increase in copper thefts across Australia. Efforts to curb scrap metal theft have had limited success, as enforcement tends to prioritize more serious crimes.
At a smaller scale, such thefts are often associated with drug use, particularly methamphetamine, with Australia having the highest per-capita market for the drug. Larger, organized heists may be executed by criminal gangs systematically targeting valuable metals.
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