Wrecking crews say they are in a race with thieves to salvage copper, which is commanding record prices.

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

Allan Cousin, who owns Noralco Corp., one of Pittsburgh'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.

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

And police in suburban Pittsburgh 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.

Information from: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, http://www.post-gazette.com

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